systemic racism

According to the Hagstrom Report, the Democrats’ budget reconciliation bill will contain language to address the court cases brought against a program to provide debt relief directed to minority farmers. Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow made that known after a committee business meeting last week. W... Read More ...

Climate change, rural broadband and civil rights were among key topics as Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack testified before the House Appropriations Ag subcommittee earlier this week. While making sure upload and download speeds are increased in a way that makes sense with today’s broadband needs, Vilsack added climate change is also a priority at USDA. “ ...

The House Agriculture Committee held a historic hearing Thursday reviewing the state of Black farmers in the United States. The hearing detailed decades of systemic racism and discrimination against Black Farmers by the USDA. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told lawmakers, “We will over the next four years do everything we can to root out whatever systemic racism and barriers that may exist at

Earlier this week, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed their latest efforts to promoted equality among all of the USDA's program, which he stressed are open to all producers. "We'll have an Equity Commission, which will begin the process of investigating all of the programs at the USDA to make sure that we identify and root out any systemic racism that may exist in those programs ...

A coalition of agriculture groups urges lawmakers to support emergency relief for farmers and ranchers of color. In a letter to leadership of the House and Senate, the coalition says they are "committed to improving the financial and rural development interests of this nation's Black, Indigenous, Hispanic and People of Color farmers and ranchers ...