Equity at USDA

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National flag of the USA, in front of US Department of Agriculture in Washington D.C.

USDA’s mission (PDF, 9.6 MB) is:

"To serve all Americans by providing effective, innovative, science-based public policy leadership in agriculture, food and nutrition, natural resource protection and management, rural development, and related issues with a commitment to deliverable equitable and climate-smart opportunities that inspire and help America thrive."

Equity is not an add-on or extra; it is central. To accomplish this mission, we must, together, build and maintain public trust and confidence among USDA stakeholders that this truly is, in the words of President Lincoln, the “People’s Department”. We must: (1) identify and root out systemic discrimination in USDA programs; (2) ensure equitable access to USDA programs and services for all communities, including by removing barriers to access and working to repair past mistakes that have resulted in economic, social, and racial disparities; and (3) promote nutrition security, a healthy environment, and the opportunity for a good life for every person, in every community in America.

Breaking Equity News and Events

Biden-Harris Administration Issues Financial Assistance to More than 43,000 Farmers, Ranchers, and Forest Landowners through the Inflation Reduction Act’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program

The Biden-Harris Administration announced it has issued payments to eligible applicants under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP), which aims to provide financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination prior to January 2021.

Providing Financial Assistance Through Discrimination Financial Assistance Program

USDA Opens Application Period for Composting and Food Waste Reduction Cooperative Agreements. USDA is accepting applications for Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year 2024. The cooperative agreements, using remaining funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, are jointly administered by USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Selected projects will develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans and are part of USDA’s broader efforts to support urban agriculture.

Applications Open for Composting and Food Waste Reduction

USDA Convenes Inaugural National Equity Summit, Equity Commission Delivers Final Report

Press release: USDA Convenes Inaugural National Equity Summit, Equity Commission Delivers Final Report (February 22, 2024)
USDA Equity Commission
Equity Committee Final Report (PDF, 2.0 MB)
USDA Recommendation Implementation Update 2024 (PDF, 4.7 MB)
Updated Equity Plan (February 14, 2024)

Progress on funds for financially distressed borrowers (Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act). With resources authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, USDA has, as of August 5, 2024, helped more than 43,800 farmers and ranchers who were in financial distress stay on their farms and farming, providing over $2.4 billion and counting in immediate assistance. The program is part of the Department’s ongoing effort to keep borrowers farming, remove obstacles that currently prevent many borrowers from returning to their land, and improve the way that USDA approaches borrowing and loan servicing in the long-term.

Additional $208 million in assistance announced November 30, 2023 to help prevent guaranteed borrower foreclosures and to assist emergency loan borrowers
Additional assistance announced August 11, 2023 for qualifying guaranteed loan borrowers facing financial risk
The deadline to request extraordinary measures assistance and cash flow-based assistance was December 31, 2023. All requests submitted prior to the December 31, 2023 deadline are currently being reviewed.
Prior assistance: October 2022 ($800 million) & May 2023 ($130 million)

More USDA Equity News USDA Equity Accomplishments and Resources

Making Equity a Priority

Over the course of its existence, USDA has faced several pivotal moments—times when our direction and efforts can fundamentally reshape the lives of agricultural producers, rural Americans, our country, and the world. Today, we are at such a moment. We must decide—Do we want to continue to use a system that benefits only a few or do we want a system that benefits all? USDA and the Biden-Harris Administration recognize that meeting this moment for all Americans means transforming the current system.

USDA’s work is not just about farms and the people who work them and their associated processes.

It’s about keeping businesses alive in small towns.
It’s about school children having access to healthy food grown in their own communities.
It’s about protecting our planet from droughts and wildfires and natural disasters.
It’s about America leading the way in what it means to be a sustainable, inclusive, resilient place.

Centering equity in this work is essential.

EQUITY IS: the consistent and systematic treatment of all individuals in a fair, just, and impartial manner, including individuals who belong to communities that often have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander persons and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; women and girls; LGBTQI+ persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; persons who live in United States Territories; persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality; and individuals who belong to multiple such communities.

FROM CONCEPT TO ACTION: USDA has mobilized, department-wide, to remove barriers to access to our programs and services for all Americans, including ensuring USDA resources reach underserved communities and those with the most need. This page shows how.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack meeting with Native American Youth at the Department of Agriculture

^{Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spent time with the 30 Students from Eastern and Western Tribes, Southeast Alaska, and Tuba City, Arizona planting vegetable seeds that are indigenous to North America.}

USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small, left, during a visit to Siesta Shores and Falcon Lake

^{Agriculture Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small, left, announced that USDA is investing $102 million to expand access to housing and water infrastructure for socially disadvantaged rural people who live and work in 45 states and American Samoa, during a visit to Siesta Shores and Falcon Lake in Zapata Co., TX.}

USDA’s Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux is presented with Sweet Grass by Kipp Family during honoring ceremony before meeting with members of the Blackfeet Extension Stockgrowers/PHLI/Ag Producers to listen to their concerns and discuss solution they are working on to help during a meeting

^{USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux is presented with Sweet Grass by Kipp Family during honoring ceremony before meeting with members of the Blackfeet Extension Stockgrowers/PHLI/Ag Producers to listen to their concerns and discuss solution they are working on to help during a meeting.}

U.S. Acting Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kevin Shea welcomes students from the National 4-H conference to the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.

^{Acting Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kevin Shea welcomes students from the National 4-H conference to the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.}

United States Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics Sanah Baig, U.S. Acting Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kevin Shea and U.S. National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director Dr. Dionne Toombs welcome students from the National 4-H conference to the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.

^{Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics Sanah Baig, Acting Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kevin Shea and U.S. National Institute of Food and Agriculture Director Dr. Dionne Toombs welcome students from the National 4-H conference to the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.}

^{U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Health, Admiral Rachel Levine and Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean visited Watkins ES in Washington, D.C. in recognition of National Nutrition Month.}

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Administrator Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young (center) visits with scientists and engineers participating in the “Meet the Scientists and Engineers Program,” during the 4th USA Science & Engineering Festival at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, in Washington D.C,

^{USDA Agricultural Research Service Administrator Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young (center) visits with scientists and engineers participating in the “Meet the Scientists and Engineers Program,” during the 4th USA Science and Engineering Festival at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, in Washington D.C.}

^{Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt greets a vendor at the USDA Farmer's Market.}

United States Department of Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics Sanah Baig meets with Max Finberg, Growing Hope Globally as USDA resumes hosting its annual Ramadan Iftar Celebration on Thursday, April 13, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

^{Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics Sanah Baig meets with Max Finberg, Growing Hope Globally as USDA resumes hosting its annual Ramadan Iftar Celebration.}

Environmental Justice - USDA's Commitment

What is Environmental Justice: “Environmental justice” means the just treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of income, race, color, national origin, Tribal affiliation, or disability in agency decision-making and other federal activities that affect human health and the environment. Achieving environmental justice, as outlined in Executive Order (EO) 12898 from 1994 and EO 14096 from 2023, is contingent on equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment in which to live, play, work, learn, grow, worship, and engage in cultural and subsistence practices.

Our Commitment to You: Given that USDA's programs impact almost every American every day, the Department is well positioned to support the development of inclusive, sustainable economies, protection from environmental harms, and equitable investment by USDA programs and services across diverse landscapes and communities. USDA’s vision for environmental justice is not only to institutionalize environmental justice principles across USDA, but to continuously improve our ability to equitably serve all Americans and make a positive difference in the lives of communities that have been overburdened and underserved.

How might USDA’s commitment and efforts impact me or my community?

USDA is committed to serving all Americans by providing effective, innovative, science-based public policy leadership in agriculture, food and nutrition, natural resource protection and management, rural development, and equitable delivery of climate-smart opportunities that inspire and help Americans to thrive.
USDA is committed to supporting inclusive, sustainable economies; mitigating legacy pollution; protecting communities from environmental hazards; promoting climate-smart solutions to agriculture and energy; implementing consistent, meaningful public engagement; and addressing barriers to access of federal resources, services, and programs.
USDA is committed to, to the degree feasible, minimizing the disproportionately high and adverse impacts of its activities and investments on communities with environmental justice concerns and to addressing and resolving environmental justice issues and complaints as they arise.
USDA is committed to integrating the best education, research, outreach, and technical assistance into programs so they meet the needs of our stakeholders and customers in communities with environmental justice concerns.
USDA is committed to working collaboratively with federal, Tribal, state, and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and private individuals to address the underlying conditions that put people and communities at risk and to assisting communities across the Nation in striving to achieve environmentally suitable living and working conditions.
USDA is committed to increasing the awareness, skills, and abilities of USDA leadership and staff regarding environmental justice and will strive to ensure sufficient capacity to support work related to environmental justice.

USDA Environmental Justice Strategic Plan: Please check back soon for USDA’s forthcoming Environmental Justice Strategic Plan.

Environmental Justice Scorecard

The annual White House Environmental Justice Scorecard is the first-ever government-wide assessment of actions the Federal government is taking to advance environmental justice. USDA’s Scorecards assess the Department’s investments and actions associated with the Justice40 Initiative, efforts in support of the Civil Rights Act and other laws, and the Department's progress in institutionalizing environmental justice through staffing, policies, activities, stakeholder engagement, and decision processes.

You may view USDA’s Phase Two Environmental Justice Scorecard, covering activities and accomplishments from October 1st, 2022, through September 30, 2023. You may also view USDA’s Phase One Scorecard, covering activities and accomplishments from October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022.

The Justice40 Initiative

The Justice40 Initiative, launched through Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, sets a government-wide goal of directing 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments from covered programs to flow to disadvantaged communities that have been marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

As of November of 2023, USDA has 70 Justice40 Initiative covered programs that achieve outcomes related to: climate change, clean energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation, affordable and sustainable housing, training and workforce development, environmental remediation, and reduction of legacy pollution, as well as infrastructure development for clean water and wastewater.

Strategy for Impact

In response to Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government, and Executive Order 14091, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government, USDA has adopted seven department-wide strategies to advance equity over the coming year:

Seven Department-Wide Strategies to Advance Equity image

Broaden access to agricultural programs. Ensure agricultural resources and assistance for producers are broadly accessible, while creating new, more, and better market opportunities so USDA policies and programs advance agriculture for all who want to participate, not just a few, promoting rural prosperity and economic security.
Promote rural prosperity. Promote prosperity and economic security in rural communities by empowering people with modern infrastructure, connecting business owners to new opportunities for growth, and supporting community-driven solutions to build brighter futures in rural America.
Promote nutrition security. Promote nutrition security and health equity through USDA nutrition assistance programs to ensure all Americans have access to the nutrition they need.
Broaden access to forest resources and outdoor experiences. Ensure equitable access to forest resources, funding opportunities, and outdoor experiences; and target wildfire prevention and conservation investments where they are most needed.
Advance equity in federal procurement by providing underserved and disadvantaged businesses tools and resources to increase access to funding opportunities and by helping promote safe and secure provision of services and supplies.
Empower tribal sovereignty. Empower tribal sovereignty and uphold treaty responsibilities to Indian tribes, removing barriers to access USDA programs and incorporating indigenous values and perspectives in program design and delivery.
Protect civil rights. Commit unwaveringly to civil rights by improving tools, skills, capacity, and processes to more effectively and efficiently enforce them.

These strategies update USDA’s 2022 Equity Action Plan, learning from hundreds of engagements with our customers and would-be customers—through listening sessions, requests for information, outreach events, tribal consultations, and advisory committees (including, preeminently, USDA’s Equity Commission).

We will operationalize our goals using

1. Reduce administrative, economic, historical, and other barriers to program access, and ensuring our programs include processes to observe, understand, and remove or mitigate such barriers. #ReduceBarriers

Icon of two people putting a puzzle together

2. Partner with trusted technical assistance providers to ensure that underserved producers and communities have the support they need to access USDA programs. #Partner

3. Direct USDA programs to those who need them the most. #MeetNeeds

4. Operate transparently and accountably, providing the information on Department programs that Congress, stakeholders, and the general public need to hold us to account on our equity agenda, and working systematically to collect and take account of public feedback. #Transparency

Equity Accomplishments

For more on USDA’s equity strategy and progress since 2021, visit the Equity Accomplishments page and the Equity Action Plans page.

Stories

Northeast Regional Equity Convening hosted by the USDA and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Reflections from the Road in Pennsylvania: Charting the Path Forward with Urban Agriculture and the Next Generation

Equity at USDA

Breaking Equity News and Events

Making Equity a Priority

Environmental Justice - USDA's Commitment

Strategy for Impact

Equity Accomplishments

Stories

Equity Commission: Shaping Change at USDA

Building a More Diverse USDA

Other Equity Resources

Explore Meaningful Work at USDA