USDA Action. The Federal Register Notices on the privacy act and the collection of information were published, and the comment periods closed. The Privacy Act Notice was in Federal Register, Vol. 64, No. 152 on Monday, August 9, 1999. 

The "Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To Conduct an Information Collection" was published in the Federal Register, Vol. 64, No. 204, Friday, October 22, 1999. One comment was received and addressed. 

Status:  Partially implemented (code 2). The Federal Register "Notice to Seek Approval to Conduct an Information Collection" for a Voluntary Minority Registry has been cleared by OMB. The Office of Outreach (OR) is working with the Department's Office of General Council (OGC) staff to implement. 

Additionally, a joint-team of field staff from these areas and USDA administrators should assess the program barriers to small farm operators from U.S. territories and possessions and make necessary changes to meet their needs.  

USDA Action. The Office of Outreach (OR) has completed a review of its mission, functions, goals and organization. Resource needs have been identified and a reorganization is being implemented. The team effort on this issue is still in the planning stage, and is dependent upon completion of Outreach staffing plans.

The Farmworker Initiative: In fiscal year 1999, OR employed the first USDA Farmworker coordinator.  As a result, OR initiated a number of collaborative efforts to address farmworker, especially migrant farmworker issues.  In fiscal year 2000, these efforts included:

a) working with Rural Development to identify grantee to receive the $ 5 million appropriated to assist farmworkers who have been affected by natural disasters; 

b) in fiscal year 2001 budget requests CSREES received $500,000 to assist the children of farmworkers (citizens and non-citizens) through their farm safety programs; and AMS provided $50,000 to create pesticide education for farmworkers;

c) CSREES was assisted with receiving 
$200,000 from the Department of Labor (DOL) to create a pilot program that would match employer and employee through the web;

d) organized and hosted 2 meetings at USDA of the Interagency migrant Counsel, it had been    7 years prior since USDA has hosted a meeting.  Arrangements were made for Deputy Secretary Rominger to welcome the group for the first meeting.  At our second meeting, Assistant Secretary Jill Long Thompson did the welcome.

Status. Partially implemented (code 2).

Mission Area: N/A 
Office: OR (Office of Outreach) 
Contact: Carolyn Parker 
Tel:  202-720-5475  
Fax: 
Email:  
Rev. Date: 01/18/2001 
Status Code: 2-Partially implemented.

 
• National Resources Conservation Service programs; 
• Rural Development's Intermediary Relending Program; 
• Rural Business Enterprise Grand Program; 
• B&I Guaranteed Loan Program; 
• Risk Management Agency's Revenue Assurance Program; 
• Rural Development's RBS programs; 
• Forest Stewardship Program; 
• Forestry Incentive Program; and 
• Stewardship incentive Program. 

USDA Action. The Office of Outreach (OR) has completed a review of its mission, functions, goals and organization. Resource needs have been identified and a reorganization has been implemented. The regulatory review effort is still in the planning stage, and is dependent upon completion of Outreach staffing plans, or participated in:

1) the Department of Labor (DOL) "JETCON" in a panel discussion that had it’s focus on rural workforce;

 2) the National Assessment of the Worker Protection Program by EPA, provided input to the success of the program as well as to its shortcomings;

3) USDA Small Farms meeting in California (coordinated) and evening session on Farmworkers focus was on program outreach needs by USDA;

4) at the USDA/DOL conference in Colorado (coordinated) the session on Latino outreach emphasis in rural areas to both farmworkers and small farmers;

5) at the National FAS conference in Oklahoma a breakout session, on farmworkers and the need to assess their economic losses during a natural disaster;

6) the routine meetings of the Federal Interagency Committee on farmworkers.      

Status: Partially implemented (code 2). All Business Program regulations are being reviewed to determine if there is any bias against small farmers.

Mission Area: N/A 
Office: OR (Office of Outreach) 
Contact: Carolyn Parker 
Tel:  202-720-5475  
Fax: 
Email:  
Rev. Date: 01/18/2001 
Status Code: 2-Partially implemented.

USDA Action. The National Office of Outreach and the Small Farms Director will develop a plan for a "Voluntary Small Farms Directory."  Once the "Notice to Seek Approval to Conduct an Information Collection" has been implemented by the Department,  State Food and Agricultural Councils (FACs) and Outreach Councils will work with local field offices to identify underserved audiences and to encourage them to participate in the establishment of a "National Small Farms Voluntary Registry." 

Status:  Partially implemented (code 2).  The Federal  Register "Notice to Seek Approval to Conduct an Information Collection" for a Voluntary Minority Registry has been cleared by OMB. The USDA Office of Outreach (OR) is working with the Department's Office of General Council (OGC) staff to implement. Once OGC completes its review, USDA will finalize its plans to implement this recommendation.  (See USDA/OR Action Plan above for Recommendation 1.24).

Mission Area: N/A 
Office: OR (Office of Outreach) 
Contact: Charles L. Whitaker 
Tel: 202-720-6078 
Fax: 202-720-4995 
Email: cwhitaker@usda.gov 
Rev. Date: 01/18/2001 
Status Code: 2-Partially implemented.

USDA Action. The National Office of Outreach and the Small Farms Director will develop a plan for a voluntary small farms directory and continue to work on clearing the privacy act notice for the voluntary minority farm register. 

State FACs and Outreach Councils will work with local field offices to identify underserved audiences and to encourage them to participate in the voluntary directory. 

Status: Partially implemented (code 2). The Office of Outreach has identified and planned for the use of information collected in the minority farm registry and the subsequent small farm directory in State Outreach Council planning and reporting processes. 

This effort is expected to begin in FY 2001, as the Minority Farm Registry is implemented. 

USDA Action. The Office of Outreach (OR) has completed a review of its mission, functions, goals and organization. Resource needs have been identified and a reorganization has been implemented. 

The new organization will include Policy and Planning, Field Operations, and Operations Management units. The reporting and impact assessment instruments, as well as analysis of program impacts and effectiveness are still in the planning stage, and are dependent upon completion of Outreach staffing plans. 

Status: Partially implemented (code 2). OR will continue its ongoing efforts to develop strategies to implement this recommendation. 

USDA Action. OR is working with agency coordinators and once its reorganization is complete and staffed, guidelines for establishing and supporting mentoring programs and apprenticeships will be developed and implemented. 

OR also is funding an Outreach newsletter and coordinating the exchange of information and opportunities. Additional efforts will be planned and implemented with the completion of the reorganization and staffing effort. 

Additionally, OR is working with State Agency leadership and Outreach Councils to establish the network and communication lines necessary to support these objectives. State Outreach Council plans have and are being developed. Many plans identified target audiences of under served constituents. Strategies have been adopted by some of the councils and they are moving forward to implementation. 

Agencies, working closely with the USDA Office of Outreach, have fostered on-going partnerships through memorandums of understanding, cooperative agreements, and other forms with land-grant colleges and universities, community-based organizations and others. 

Status. Partially implemented (code 2). OR will continue to develop plans and strategies to implement this recommendation.

USDA Action. The Office of Outreach is working with agency coordinators and once its reorganization is complete and staffed, guidelines for establishing and supporting mentoring programs and apprenticeships will be developed and implemented. 

The Office of Outreach is funding an Outreach newsletter and coordinating the exchange of information and opportunities. Additional efforts will be planned and implemented with the completion of the reorganization and staffing effort. 

The Office of Outreach is working with State Agency leadership and Outreach Councils to establish the network and communication lines necessary to support these objectives. State Outreach Council plans have and are being developed. Many plans identified target audiences of under served constituents. Strategies have been adopted by some of the councils and they are moving forward to implementation. 

Agencies, working closely with the USDA Office of Outreach, have fostered on-going partnerships through memorandums of understanding, cooperative agreements, and other forms with land-grant colleges and universities, community-based organizations and others. 

Status. Partially implemented (code 2). OR will continue to develop plans and strategies to implement this recommendation. 

USDA Action. The Office of Outreach is continuing the 2501 Training and Technical Assistance to Small and Disadvantaged Farmers grant program through FY 2000, and is planning a new cycle of projects to begin in    FY 2001. 

This program uses community based organizations and land grant institutions to assist small farmers in navigating through USDA programs as well as strengthening their own farm management and marketing operations. 

Status. Fully implemented (code 1). Will continue to monitor. 

USDA Action. The Farm Service Agency has shortened the loan application process by consolidating and eliminating forms. The Agency is also working on an abbreviated loan application process for those who borrow on an annual basis. This project should be completed by February or March of FY 2000. 

Status. Partially implemented (code 2). The Office of Outreach (OR) continues to fund grants to assist small farmers in the loan application process. The replication of successful practices and dissemination of models for both outreach and assistance are still in the planning stage, and are dependent upon completion of Outreach staffing plans. 

Also, the Commission supports implementation of CRAT recommendations 38, 39, and 40, respectively, which proposed that USDA should: 

1. Make the Office of Outreach's strategic outreach plan "part of the Department's strategic plan, for which Agency Heads will be held accountable through the Civil Rights performance standard..." (CRAT Recommendation No. 38); 

2. Establish in each agency an outreach coordinator who serves as a liaison with the National Office of Outreach (CRAT Recommendation No. 39); and 

3. "Establish State and National Outreach Councils, comparable to the USDA Food and Agriculture Council (FAC), to coordinate outreach efforts of all USDA agencies with State and local-level program delivery..." (CRAT Recommendation No. 40). 

USDA Action. A USDA strategic outreach plan for fiscal years 1998 - 2002 was drafted and submitted to the Chief Financial Officer for help in coordinating a target peer review. A Secretary's transmittal memorandum was sent to Sub-cabinet officials, directing them to incorporate the goals and objectives of the plan into the outreach components of agency plans. 

As requested by the Director of USDA's National Office of Outreach, each Under Secretary and Agency Head designated an agency coordinator to serve as liaison with the Outreach Office for outreach initiatives. 

Secretary's memorandum number 4360-1, dated March 24, 1998, directs the establishment of State and National Outreach Councils. States are organizing their councils. 

Also, see USDA Action in response to Recommendation No. 2.12. 

Status: Partially implemented (code 2). OR and the Director of Small Farms is working with each Mission Area to make outreach efforts and small farms initiatives part of each Agency's strategic planning process as well as the Department's strategic planning process.

USDA Action. OR has completed a review of its mission, functions, goals and organization. Resource needs have been identified and a reorganization has been implemented. 

The new organization will include Policy and Planning, Field Operations, and Operations Management units. The reporting and impact assessment instruments, as well as analysis of program impacts and effectiveness are still in the planning stage, and are dependent upon completion of Outreach staffing plans. 

Status: Not implemented (code 4). Will proceed with implementation after Outreach staffing plans have been completed.

USDA Action. The Office of Outreach (OR) is working with agency coordinators and once its reorganization is complete and staffed, guidelines for establishing and supporting mentoring programs and apprenticeships will be developed and implemented. 

OR is funding an Outreach newsletter and coordinating the exchange of information and opportunities. Additional efforts will be planned and implemented with the completion of the reorganization and staffing effort. 

OR is working with State Agency leadership and Outreach Councils to establish the network and communication lines necessary to support these objectives. State Outreach Council plans have and are being developed. Many plans identified target audiences of under served constituents. Strategies have been adopted by some of the councils and they are moving forward to implementation. 

Agencies, working closely with the USDA Office of Outreach, have fostered on-going partnerships through memorandums of understanding, cooperative agreements, and other forms with land-grant colleges and universities, community-based organizations and others. 

Status. Partially implemented (code 2). OR develop plans and strategies to implement this recommendation. 

USDA Action. After implementation of the reorganization and staffing of the Office of Outreach (OR) reorganization, we will develop and start work with agencies to implement field level alternative work schedules so hard to reach customers will have more opportunity to be reached by USDA program specialists. 

Status.  Not implemented (code 4). However, OR will continue to pursue implementation of this recommendation.-

USDA Action. The Office of Outreach is continuing the 2501 Training and Technical Assistance to Small and Disadvantaged Farmers grant program through FY 2000, and is planning a new cycle of projects to begin in FY 2001. 

This program uses community based organizations and land grant institutions to assist small farmers in navigating through USDA programs as well as strengthening their own farm management and marketing operations. 

Status. Partially implemented (code 2). OR will continue to pursue implementation of this recommendation. 

USDA Action: The FY 2000 and FY 2001 Budgets requested that the 2501 program be fully funded at $10 million.

Status: Unable to be implemented (code 3). For FY 2001, the 2501 programs received $3 million in direct Congressional appropriations.

In FY 2000, Congress also authorized $3 million in direct appropriation for the 2501 program while the Secretary allocated an additional $5.2 million from the Fund for Rural America to bring the total funding level in FY 2000 to $8.2 million.

SUMMARY
STATUS CODE DEFINITIONS
USDA Mission Area/Office: Office of Outreach (OR)
Total Recommendations: 17

Fully Implemented
 Total -- 1 (6.3%) 

Partially Implemented
Total -- 11 (62.5%)

 Unable to be Implemented
Total -- 2 (6.3%)

 Not Implemented
Total 3 -- ( 25%)

4.08

1.28     4.06
1.32     4.15
4.01     4.16
4.02     4.19
 4.03     4.21 
          4.05       ----           

7.03
1.24

4.18
4.20