SDA embraces racial equity and inclusion
Farmworkers: Essential USDA stakeholders
How The Us Dept. Of Agriculture Advances Racial Justice, Equity & Opportunity For Its Workforce And Stakeholders
Advancing racial justice, equity and opportunity
The Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, on January 7, 2022 (USDA First Friday: The People’s Department Serves Our People — Source 12) emphasized that the US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) is committed to embracing racial equity and inclusion, which are rooted in justice and equal opportunity, for all of the agency’s employees and the agency’s stakeholders.
Secretary Vilsack outlined the landmark action that the agency is taking to reduce barriers to access, advance opportunities for underserved communities, and combat generations of systemic racism and discrimination. Concerning those that the agency serves, he added that:
“This includes embracing diversity, equity, inclusion and access in the workplace and ensuring USDA is a great place to work with a well-trained and diverse workforce committed to its customers…. We will continue to build on our progress towards integrating equity into decision-making and programs and services.” [Source: 12]
The Biden administration’s January 20, 2021 Executive Order
On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden issued an Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. Section 5 Conducting an Equity Assessment in Federal Agencies directs that all agency heads are to assess whether underserved communities and their members face systemic barriers in accessing benefits and opportunities that are available in accordance with the policies and programs of the Biden administration. [Source 3]
In fully supporting the President’s initiative, on June 15, 202, Secretary Vilsack posted a request for information at Regulations.gov. This notice is a “Request for Information: Identifying Barriers in USDA Programs and Services; Advancing Racial Justice and Equity and Support for Underserved Communities at USDA”. [Source: 13]
One of the respondents to this request was submitted by the Farmworkers Justice and the United Farm Workers Foundation. They acknowledged that USDA recognizes that too many American communities have been denied the opportunity to participate on an equal footing without discrimination in aspects of the nation’s economic, social, and civic life. [Source 1]
They added that for the USDA, such a commitment requires attention to the issues and concerns of our nation’s approximately 2.4 million agricultural workers on farms and ranches. The department’s investigation acknowledges that far too many American communities are systematically denied full opportunities to participate in all aspects of the nation’s economic, social and civic life. [Source: 1]
Presidential Decree 13985
They also expressed their appreciation for the Biden administration’s commitment, established by Presidential Decree 13985, to bridge deep-seated differences in the country’s laws and public policies, and in its public and private institutions, that deny disadvantaged individuals and communities an equal opportunity. They noted that justice, racial justice, and equal opportunity are the responsibility of our entire government. [Sources: 1,3]
They listed some of the injustices, that continues to this day, faced by groups that USDA listed (e.g., Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Native American persons, Asian American Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color, members of religious minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons, persons with disabilities, persons who live in rural areas, and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality). [Source: 1]
Some of the injustices that they listed at Source 1 include:
* Denial of equal labor protections in agriculture
* One-third of farmworkers report family incomes below the poverty line
* Many farmworkers experience food insecurity
* The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicate that compared to other occupations, crop workers are 20 times more likely to die of heat-related causes
* Because some farmworkers are paid for what they produce, not by the hour, they typically push themselves beyond what the body is meant to endure. This is because taking necessary breaks for water or rest means lost income. [Source: 1]
For the comprehensive list of those initiatives that Farmworker Justice and the United Farm Workers Foundation advocates that USDA implement/advocate on behalf of vulnerable communities, to include the farmworkers who labor on the country’s farms and ranches please refer to Source 1.
The Takeaway
I am of the firm belief that the USDA will indeed not leave behind any of these farmworkers and will, in fact, recognize them as being essential stakeholders. I am in solidarity with Farmworker Justice and the United Farm Workers Foundation in advocating for the USDA to respond in an impactful way to farmworkers’ concerns and ensure that USDA programs do not favor employers at the expense of the farmworkers! I have no doubt that the USDA will rise to the challenge!
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The Sources List is at the very bottom of my blog post! Enjoy!
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Sources
[0]: https://www.nlc.org/resource/repository-of-city-racial-equity-policies-and-decisions/
[2]: https://www.naco.org/county-resources-diversity-equity-and-inclusion
[5]: https://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/advancing-racial-justice-and-equity-through-the-usda/
[6]: https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/FoodForThought/pages/Article.aspx?post=114
[7]: https://www.thefencepost.com/news/usda-seeks-public-input-on-racial-justice-equality/
[8]: https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/food-sovereignty-can-advance-racial-equity-and-climate-resilience
[11]: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/biden-administration-can-advance-racial-equity/
[12]:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/inside-fs/mail-call/usda-first-friday-peoples-department-serves-our-people
[13]:
https://www.regulations.gov/document/USDA-2021-0006-0001/comment?pageNumber=2