equity

Growing up in Beautancus, North Carolina, U.S. Department of Agriculture Equity Commission Member Shorlette Ammons learned first-hand the impact of farming and food systems in rural communities. From a large line of farmworkers, cooks, and storytellers, Ammons leans on her experience and background to uplift the voices of those like her.

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month and serves as an important opportunity to celebrate our AAPI communities and honor their many contributions to the United States. The AAPI community has influenced American culture in so many ways. One example is in the agricultural sector.

One of my favorite activities is to see FNS programs in action. Therefore, as often as I can, I try to visit schools that know how to have fun while feeding kids healthy meals. Recently, I had the chance to visit Rialto Unified School District (RUSD) and learn about their success in doing just that. They just earned USDA’s 2022 Turnip the Beet Gold Award, two years in a row!

For America’s farmers, science can act as a form of capital. According to Dr. Alexis Racelis, access to science is not always funded, developed, or distributed equitably.

March 31 marks César Chávez Day and serves as a reminder to all Americans of the importance of service, community, education, and commitment to advocating for farmworkers and their families. Chávez was a champion of farmworkers’ rights, calling for fairer wages and improved working conditions and helping open the door for better opportunities for farmworkers across the country.

Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, directs USDA to provide financial assistance to producers who have experienced discrimination in USDA’s farm lending programs. This program provides USDA the ability to deliver financial assistance for those farmers, ranchers, or forest landowners determined to have experienced discrimination in USDA's farm lending programs prior to January 1, 2021. These funds are one step in the long march towards justice and an inclusive, equitable USDA.

As a Latina woman, raised in a black community by a single white mother, Poppy Sias-Hernandez understands how access to equitable support and resources can have a life changing impact.

After Michelle Hughes graduated from Haverford College, she took a job on a hog farm at the University of Pennsylvania in preparation for veterinary school. While working on the farm, Hughes’ career interests shifted towards production agriculture and advocacy.

Gary Matteson is a farmer with a passion for helping beginning farmers from all backgrounds and walks of life. During his 30-year farming career, he built a successful operation raising greenhouse wholesale cut flowers and beef cattle for local sales in Epsom, New Hampshire.

Like many of our USDA colleagues across the country, federal staff from the Food and Nutrition Service were glued in last week to the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Many attended in-person to contribute ideas and host the event alongside White House staff, and hundreds more tuned in virtually. It was a day to remember, filled with excitement and a renewed commitment to the important work our agency does to improve food and nutrition security.