At the start of this Administration, USDA had a reputation marred by decades of systemic discrimination.
Today, we can say we’ve brought about real change. In fact, USDA recently became the Federal Agency of the Year, awarded by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in recognition of the improvements made since the start of the Obama Administration.
In nearly eight years, we have made it possible for more Americans to get involved in farming and ranching through major improvements to farm loans. The results in 2015 speak for themselves—the Farm Service Agency has helped nearly 10,000 farmers in 2015 alone, of which 72 percent are considered socially disadvantaged or beginning — a record number compared to prior years. And between 2007 and 2012, the United States saw a 12 percent increase in the number of black farmers and a 21 percent increase in Hispanic farmers.
To ensure fair representation in the communities we serve, we made meaningful modifications to the County Committee structure, annually reviewing local administrative boundaries to make sure minority communities are adequately represented. When statistical analysis demonstrated a persistent lack of diversity in some County Committees, Secretary Vilsack was the first Agriculture Secretary to use authority granted under the 2002 Farm Bill to appoint voting members to over 385 committees, addressing underrepresentation of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. As a result, when someone applies for a loan today, they can be more confident knowing the individuals reviewing the applications reflect the diversity of the constituency they serve.
You can hear directly from LULAC National Director Brent Wilkes on our joint efforts with his organization to support and empower Hispanic communities across the United States over the past 8 years.
Join us throughout the month of August as we tell the important story of eight years of progress toward a more equal and inclusive USDA. Follow along on usda.gov, on the USDA blog and by using #USDAResults, or catch up on Chapter VIII on our Medium site.
Throughout the month you can join us as we tell the important story of eight years of progress toward a more equal and inclusive USDA.
USDA Celebrated Women’s Equality day with a collection of stories about women in agriculture who are leading the industry + helping other women succeed along the way.
On July 13, 2016, Secretary Vilsack accepted the Federal Agency of the Year award from League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and delivered remarks at the organization’s 87th Annual National Convention. Read a transcript of his remarks.
Minneapolis Students Gear up for a School Year Full of Fresh, Locally Grown Foods
What better way to ring in the new school year than by celebrating the bounties of local produce that farmers harvest during the back-to-school season? Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is hosting its Fifth Annual Farm to School Community BBQ – a community event built around fresh food, families and fun! The event brings together MPS students and their families, school staff, local farmers and vendors, True Food Chef Council members and other community partners in celebration of Minnesota Farm to School Month and our farm to school program.
Celebrating Progress: Back to School 2016-17
As Deputy Under Secretary, I have the honor and the pleasure of traveling to schools across the country to see our programs in action. Through my visits, I’ve had a chance to meet with hundreds of dedicated school administrators and school nutrition professionals, hearing countless testimonials of how they strive every day to serve students nutritious foods that will help them succeed in the classroom and grow into healthy adults. As a former school nutrition director myself, these visits are one of the most rewarding parts of my job.
New MyPlate Resources for Families
It’s that time again…back-to-school season is upon us. It’s an exciting time of year for kids, offering a new beginning with the promise of new friends and new experiences. It’s also a great time for families to establish a new routine and work together toward a healthier lifestyle. ChooseMyPlate.gov and Team Nutrition just launched new resources to help your family eat better together, including printable activity sheets, tips for making mealtimes fun and stress-free, and videos featuring real families who share healthy eating solutions that work for them.
Iowa Takes an Ethnic Studies Approach to 4-H
Graduating from high school in the small town of Blakely, Georgia, Tracy Robinson was required to take an armed forces aptitude test. When asked what he wanted to do with his life, Robinson said he wanted to farm. The Marine recruiter told him he would be a great field artilleryman.
USDA Buys Surplus Cheese to Help Dairy Producers and Needy Families
The nation's huge surplus of cheese is helping put pressure on milk prices, but a move by USDA may help ease the pressure somewhat. (Gary Crawford, Sec'y Tom Vilsack and Rob Johansson)
An Expanding Effort to Connect Veterans with Agricultural Career Opportunities
USDA and many other agricultural interests are working on a project that would make it much easier for returning veterans to find out about agricultural career opportunities. (Gary Crawford and Sec'y Tom Vilsack)
Actuality: Study Shows a Growing Ag. Job Market
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack telling the Hiring for Heroes Roundtable in Washington Tuesday about a study showing agricultural job opportunities far outnumber the people being trained for those jobs.
Actuality: USDA Helping Veterans in Many Ways
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack telling the Hiring for Heroes Roundtable in Washington Tuesday that USDA has ramped up efforts to help returning veterans find opportunities in farming and agriculture related businesses.
Vilsack Says Next Farm Bill should Expand Outreach to Veterans (Agri-Pulse)
Recruiting military veterans and youth into farming should be a major goal of the next farm bill, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said today at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event to highlight its Hiring our Heroes program. It's vitally important to get younger people involved with agriculture as the average age of farmers in the U.S. rises, he said, and veterans can play a significant role.
Vilsack Looks Back [VIDEO] (Successful Farming)
Successful Farming Editorial Content Director, Dave Kurns caught up to US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack at the Iowa State Fair to ask him about the legacy he hopes to leave at the USDA.
International Youth Day: NIFA Helps Provide Sustainable Youth Leadership (JBK Environmental)
Recognizing the voice of youth is important and USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) plays a key role in providing positive youth development through the internationally recognized 4-H program, which empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults.
Celebrating Big Progress toward Hunger-Free Schools (Oklahoma Policy Institute)
Late this summer, just as parents started to wonder precisely where they’d put that school supplies list, Tulsa Public Schools announced that all elementary schools in the district would serve free breakfast and lunch to all students in the coming school year. Tulsa is able to provide these meals using federal funding through the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP.
USDA Strikeforce Meeting Set in Bernice (The News Star)
A meeting for rural growth and opportunity will be held in Bernice. The Strikeforce meeting will be held at the Historical Bernice Civic Clubhouse at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Those in attendance will learn about financial and technical assistance that are available. All are welcome. Growing the economy by investing in rural communities and increasing opportunities for families is key to our Nation's future. In 2010, Secretary Vilsack established USDA's StrikeForce Initiative for Rural Growth and Opportunity to address the specific challenges associated with rural poverty. Since then, StrikeForce teams have collaborated with more than 500 community partners and public entities across twenty states to bring targeted assistance to rural areas experiencing chronic poverty.
 
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