USDA equity panel convenes at UAPB

Jewel Bronaugh, U.S. Department of Agriculture deputy secretary, and the USDA Equity Commission met recently at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to discuss advancing equity throughout USDA programs and services.

In planning for the visit, the USDA focused on engaging with UAPB students. For learning and shadowing purposes, the commission’s planning team identified Reagan Adams, a UAPB School of Broadcasting/ Multimedia Journalism student, as someone who can assist with creating equity stories for the commission.

The goal of the meeting was to produce recommendations to report back to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Upon conclusion of the meeting, the commission produced 27 recommendations focused on how citizens are impacted by USDA programs and services and what can be done to resolve the issues, according to a news release.

“I am pleased that the USDA Equity Commission and Deputy Secretary Bronaugh convened this extremely important meeting at UAPB to address advancing equity at the USDA,” said UAPB Chancellor Laurence B. Alexander. “Likewise, I am confident that the group will formulate recommendations to ensure measurable improvements across all programs and services at USDA.”

This 15-member independent commission is charged with evaluating USDA programs and services and will recommend how the department can reduce barriers for accessing them, according to the USDA website.

“Using this information, the USDA will make needed changes so that their programs, services and decisions reflect the values of equity and inclusion. This will ensure everyone has a fair shot at resources, begin closing the racial wealth gap and addressing longstanding inequities in agriculture,” according to the release.

“The work of the Equity Commission will empower USDA to objectively confront the hard reality of past discrimination and its lingering harm; helping USDA build back better and serve their customers more fairly and equitably,” according to the release.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff offers all its extension and research programs and services without discrimination.