UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
MARCH 24, 1995
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. INTRODUCTION « PAGES 1-3
B. USDA ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE STRATEGY PAGES 4-5
C. PROGRAM INITIATIVES WITHIN USDA
RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
APPENDIX A PAGES 6"14
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INTRODUCTION
Purpose
Executive Order 12898 (February 11, 1994) requires .. huSDA
agency-wide strategy for addressing environmental injustices. The goal of the USDA
ESnmental Justice Strategy is to make a positive difference in the lives °f people. To
Ss end USDA is committed to integrating the best education, research and technical
practices across USDA agencies into programs that meet the needs of its customers m
mTnority and low-income communities. USDA is committed to continuing to work
cooperatively with Federal, State and local Government and with the private sector to
improve the underlying conditions which put people at nsk, and assisting children, youth and
families across the nation in striving for a better life.
Background
The U S Department of Agriculture was established by Congress in 1862 "to acquire and
diffuse among the people of the United States useful information on subjects connected with
agriculture ... and to procure, propagate, and distribute among the people new and
valuable seeds and plants." USDA touches the lives of 260 million .Americans each day as
well as billions of people around the world. Some of USDA's daily activities include:
(1) Helping American fanners and ranchers;
(2) Improving the quality of life in rural America, including access to water,
electricity and telephone service;
(3) Managing national forests;
(4) Protecting soil and water;
(5) Preventing spread or introduction of foreign plant and animal diseases;
(6) Increasing agricultural exports;
(7) Facilitating the marketing of American agricultural products;
(8) Feeding hungry people, and ensuring that nutritious meals are provided for 25
million school children each day;
(9) Conducting research and education to improve agricultural practices and nutrition
and health of consumers; and
(10) Improving food safety.
USDA programs and activities are administered in seven key areas:
4 Natural Resources and Environment;
4 Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services;
4 Rural Economic and Community Development;
4 Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services;
4 Food Safety;
4 Research, Education and Economics; and
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4 Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
What Environmental Justice Means to USDA
U.S. agriculture is the most productive in the worldUS. c^umersfh/ve/CC"4te°/J^
variety of safe, nutritious food at affordable prices. The production of food and fiber affects
IhT natural environment through practices such as cultivation of soil, the application of
water for irrigation, the use of fertilizer and pesticides, and the rearing of livestock.
USDA has contributed greatly to the success of American agriculture. While continuing to
buiS upo^SrLcSseJuSDA must also ensure that its programs do not cause
disproportionate negative direct and indirect impacts on the lives of low-income and
S^^ At USDA, environmental justice has a variety of potential implications for
the way it conducts its business, including:
4 The education of producers about the use of pesticides and fertilizer in crop
production and their potential effect on human health and the environment.
4 The location and management of federal research facilities, grain storage
sites, inventory lands, hazardous waste sites, and underground storage tanks.
4 The administration of technical assistance and loan and grant programs to
socially disadvantaged customers.
4 The provision of food programs and nutrition education for pregnant
women, children, and families in low-income communities.
4 The carrying out of nutrition research on the needs and food intake of diverse
ethnic populations.
4 The delivery of extension education programs in Spanish and other
languages, and
4 The collection of statistics and demographics of minority farmers and
minority-owned farming operations, including American Indian farmers and
ranchers.
USDA's Implementation Strategy
USDA's implementation strategy reflects the work of a task force composed of
representatives of USDA agencies, including the Office of Civil Rights Enforcement
(OCRE). It also reflects USDA's strong commitment to identify and address
disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects of its programs,
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policies, and activities on minority and low-income populations, as required by President
Clinton's Executive Order 12898. This strategy is a dynamic process which will evolve as
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aTminTtrative systems that are consistent with and supportive of overall government
reinvention and reform initiatives.
The USDA strategy is designed so that environmental justice principles and initiatives are
incorporated into Departmental programs, policies, planning, public participation processes,
enforcement, and rulemaking. USDA will pursue these principles as they relate^ -hea th
research, training, data collection, analysis, interagency coordination, the development of
model projects, and in broader public participation through public comment, planning,
outreach, communication, partnerships, sharing of information, education, and training.
Taking maximum advantage of these opportunities, USDA's proposed strategy recognizes
the diversity of Departmental programs, constituents, and stakeholders at all organizational
levels. The strategy is designed to be effective, cost-efficient, and flexible. It will also evolve
in coordination with the new USDA organizational structure.
Secretary of Agriculture
Date:
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE STRATEGY
USDA's Environmental Justice Strategy is focused on incorporating environmental
justice objectives and principles into existing programs, policies, and systems. This
approach will ensure that these principles and objectives will be a part of the day-to-day
activities of USDA operations. By integrating environmental justice into Departmental
programs rather than creating new and costly programs and systems, USDA will
effectively and efficiently meet the principles and objectives of environmental justice.
The following are the specific steps that USDA will take to implement its Environmental
Justice Strategy. USDA anticipates that this strategy will evolve and include additional
steps as it is implemented.
1. Issue a Departmental Regulation Establishing USDA's Environmental Justice
Strategy.
A Departmental Regulation will be issued by the Secretary which will state the
importance of environmental justice and explain USDA's objectives and principles
in implementing its strategy. The regulation will direct Departmental agencies
and offices to incorporate the Department's strategy into existing programs,
policies and systems. Some of the actions that USDA's agencies and offices will
be required to consider are expanded upon in Step 2 of USDA's Environmental
Justice Strategy.
2. Incorporate Environmental Justice Principles and Objectives Into All Relevant
USDA Programs, Policies and Systems.
The USDA operates a wide variety of programs related to environmental justice,
as the examples in Appendix A illustrate. Under the Department's
Environmental Justice Strategy, the principles and objectives of environmental
justice, as contained in Executive Order 12898, will be incorporated into these and
other relevant programs, policies and systems. In addition to the steps described
below and the programs discussed in Appendix A, the Department anticipates
that, as the strategy is implemented, other Departmental activities will be
identified that should also incorporate the environmental justice principles and
objectives.
To accomplish this step in the Department's strategy, the following actions will be
taken where appropriate and necessary:
A) Identify Departmental programs, policies, and systems that should
incorporate environmental justice principles and objectives;
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B) Revise applicable Departmental and agency regulations to incorporate
environmental justice principles and objectives;
C) Revise applicable Departmental and agency program management plans
to incorporate environmental justice principles and objectives;
D) Assign official responsibilities and accountability for achieving
environmental justice goals by revising, where necessary: (1) delegations of
authorities (2) organizational charts, mission statements, and formal
functional statements and (3) official position descriptions and performance
standards, for affected employees and agencies; and
E) Identify resources necessary to develop and implement the strategy in
Departmental programs, policies, and systems.
3. Ensure Effective Implementation of USDA's Environmental Justice Strategy.
To ensure the effective incorporation of environmental justice principles and
objectives into Departmental programs, policies, and systems, the following actions
will be taken where appropriate and necessary:
A) Develop an inventory or database consisting of community, professional,
and technical resources to assist agencies in developing effective
environmental justice activities, including establishing a bibliographic
index at the National Agricultural Library;
B) Identify interagency responsibilities for areas with environmental justice
implications and work cooperatively within the Department as well as with
other Federal department's and agencies, and state, tribal, and local units
of government.
C) Seek assistance, services and products from 1890 Land-Grant colleges
and universities as well as other educational institutions to support USDA
environmental justice activities;
D) Develop formal management methodologies and establish performance
measures consistent with the Government Performance and Results Act
(GPRA) for environmental justice activities; and
E) Incorporate environmental justice principles and objectives into
periodic reviews, assessments and evaluations of program activities.
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APPENDIX A
PROGRAM INITIATIVES WITHIN USDA RELATED TO
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
The following are examples of current USDA programs, policies, planning, public
P^nic^Senforcemem, and rulemaking activities ^^°^°^^
within USDA, according to the four categories as identified in Executive Order 12898.
1 Promote enforcement of all health and environmental statutes in
areas with minority populations and low-income populations.
USDA complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to ensure that all programs
^SSSJSwS Federal financial assistance from USDA do not directly, or through
LtraauaTor other arrangements, use criteria, methods, or practices that discnmmate
on the basis of race, colorfor national origin. In addition, USDA regulations prohibn
domination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disabilities, age or national ongm
in programs and activities which USDA agencies make benefits available directly to the
public. The Department conducts the following activities:
National program reviews to identify and eliminate discrimination in program delivery.
4 Data collection on program participation rates of socially disadvantaged
producers. , ._,
4 Assessments of changes to food assistance programs to determine if barriers
prevent diverse groups from participation. .
4 Agreements entered into by USDA agencies include standard clauses designed to
prevent discrimination. .
4 Facility pollution prevention plans first evaluate collection, maintenance, and
analysis of information of the race, national origin, income level, and other
information for areas surrounding Federal facilities where the facilities are
expected to have a substantial environmental, human health, or economic effects
on surrounding populations.
4 Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) ensures
consideration and analysis of the effects of natural resource decisions on the
human environment. USDA policy and procedures for NEPA compliance require
that effects on population sectors be considered.
4 Members of peer panels convened for reviewing and ranking competitive research
grant proposals are selected based upon their training and experience in relevant
scientific fields and the need to maintain a balanced membership (e.g., assure that
the views of minorities and women are represented).
USDA's enforcement of human health and environmental laws include memoranda of
understanding and intergovernmental agreements with Indian tribes, educational
institutions, State agencies, and Federal agencies such as Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Defense (DOD),
Department of Energy (DOE), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Food and Drug
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Administration (FDA). Examples include:
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
the Tennessee Valley Authority to establish a source of techioical assistance for
environmental cleanup on property held in USDA inventory.
4 Interagency agreement with the Bureau of the Census to conduct a nationally
representative survey of the U.S. population as a supplement to the Current
Population Survey. The survey will measure, for all income groups, the extent of
hunger and food insecurity in the United States. USDA will use the information
to improve the design of nutrition assistance programs for low-income Americans.
4 Cooperative agreement with the University of New Mexico to conduct a "Limited
Resource Farmer and National Resource Inventory Special Study". Data will be
used to more accurately define "limited resource farmer" and to investigate
reasons for their lack of participation in USDA programs.
4 Interagency agreement with HHS to create a rural health information clearing
house, designed to collect and disseminate information on niral health issues,
research findings related to rural health, and innovative approaches to the
deliver)' of rural health care services, financing, and the health status of rural
Americans and American Indians.
4 Cooperative agreement with an 1890 institution to evaluate the effectiveness of
intervention methods to improve the quality and well-being of the rural elderly in
the South.
4 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DOE to study options for the
environmental cleanup and rehabilitation of former commodity (grain) storage
sites, which became Contaminated through repeated applications of pesticides and
other chemical treatments.
4 Cooperative agreements with state agencies - including health departments ~ to
participate in pest eradication efforts, which involve evaluation and
communication of health risks due to pesticide application.
4 Cooperative agreements with individual U.S. tribal organizations, tribal
enterprises, and the established inter-tribal organizations to conduct export
promotion activities for tribal agricultural products, which include range fed beef,
buffalo meat, and seafood products from the reservations.
4 MOU with six American Indian tribes for work on Indian lands and cooperative
agreements with 26 towns and cities for providing technical assistance on animal
damage control.
4 Providing funds to the National Coalition to Restore Urban Waterways to train
members of the Minority Environmental Association in six cities.
4 Supporting a project with the Minority Environmental Association in Cleveland to
test water quality in minority and poor communities.
4 Provide support to a minority and rural housing area in No;rth Carolina for
installation of a clean water supply.
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2. Ensure greater public participation
USDA has a long tradition of conducting effective outreach and education efforts
focusing on minority populations at national, regional, state and local levels, including
l°1890aCoUeges!' Land Grant Universities, and other historically Black colleges and
universities (HBCUs),
- the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities,
- Intertribal National University and other Tribal Nations
- support for Employee Resource Groups (African American, Hispanic, Asian Pacific),
and
- constituent groups and USDA county and advisory committees.
USDA uses a variety of processes and mechanisms to receive public input:
4 Conservation Review Groups (including USDA, other government and
stakeholder representatives) at the local, county, state, and national levels review
conservation policies. . .
4 Public comments are solicited through the rulemaking process in national
hearings, and suggestions are considered in the design and implementation of new
or revised program and rulemaking activities.
4 As required by the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, USDA
collects information from the public, producers, and other program participants
through customer service surveys and interviews. This information is used to
measure customer satisfaction with USDA programs and implementation and to
revise or re-engineer existing policies, rules, regulations, procedures, and business
processes on an as needed basis.
4 USDA agencies have specific programs and procedures in place to comply with
the requirements under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for public
participation in agency decisionmaking. The NEPA process alerts the public of
the likely environmental (including health and safety) effects of proposed agency
programs before they are approved and implemented. The NEPA environmental
impact statements and environmental assessments are made available to the
public in a variety of ways - local newspaper announcement, published in foreign
languages, and Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD).
4 USDA has a tradition of direct, frequent communication in forums and with
established, formal committees of stakeholders.
4 Development of ecosystem management policies affecting national forests involves
grassroots participation by communities and industries. Because ecosystems cross
boundaries, USDA's Forest Service cooperates with other landowners on a
voluntary basis and is working with rural communities to develop local natural
resource-based economies that support sustainable ecosystems.
4 Advisory boards provide input into USDA's research planning and program
development, including issues related to environmental justice. In FY 1994,
USDA had sixty-eight federal advisory committees. Thirty-eight committees are
required by statute and twenty-one are authorized by statute. A wide variety of
stakeholders participate in advisory committees providing an ongoing source of
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public input on USDA programs. . __
4 The Cooperative State Research, Extension, and Education Service (CSREES)
receives public input through program committees at the state and local levels and
from other agencies at the state and national level.
4 USDA's integrated pest management (IPM) strategies provide for state and local
involvement in priority setting for research, education, and regulatory controls.
USDA also places heavy emphasis on outreach activities to help ensure public
participation in planning and rulemaking processes as well as program delivery:
4 The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program provides services to over
100,000 American Indian women, infants and preschool children through States
and thirty-three American Indian Tribal Organizations which provide WIC
services within their tribal areas. In April 1992, approximately 60 percent of all
American Indian infants in the U.S. participated in the WIC Program.
4 USDA participates in government-wide programs to increase the participation of
small and disadvantaged businesses (including minority and women-owned firms)
in contracting and procurement programs.
4 USDA uses PASS (Procurement Automated Source System), a computerized
directory of over 196,000 small businesses, and other sources to identify potential
minority and women-owned firms for participation in USDA loan programs.
4 USDA administers an Outreach and Assistance Program for Socially
Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers by establishing goals for program
participation rates on a State-by-State and county-by-county basis.
4 USDA's Agricultural Conservation Program provides for cost sharing (up to 50
percent of the average cost of performing practices) for low-income farmers and
ranchers who want to improve their conservation practices.
4 Local program officials meet regularly with public and private officials on issues
such as community development, housing, and farm activities in rural areas and
how to target USDA programs to targeted populations.
4 Through the Extension Service:
-- Indian Reservation Agents programs are located at 28 tribal reservations, which
work with youth and adults in home economics, human nutrition, resource
development, and agriculture.
« The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program delivers information
through educational programs for low-income citizens to improve their diet and
nutrition.
~ The 1890 Land Grant Institutions, the Hispanic Americain Colleges and
Universities, and many others in the Land Grant System have programs that
target small and low-income farm producers to provide them with the expertise to
become sustainable enterprises.
- Worker protection programs in Spanish and other languages have been
developed to train migrant and resident farm workers.
- Special efforts have been made to reach non-English speaking minorities
through publications and multi-media programs in several languages in the areas
in which they are needed.
4 USDA technology transfer programs give special emphasis to disadvantaged
groups. Approximately 55 percent of USDA patent licenses and 53 percent of
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currently active Cooperative Research and Development Agreements are with
small, minority-owned, female-owned, or rural area businesses.
4 The 1890 Capacity Building Grants Program strengthens the 1890 Land Grant
institutions in agricultural research and related activities. USDA is initiating a
parallel program to strengthen universities that traditionally support Hispanic
communities and plans to launch a third parallel program to support Tribal
4 USDASestablished a National Center for Diversity located at Kentucky State
University which provides training and education that will enhance diversity and
pluralism within the Cooperative Extension System. The Center maintains a
resource database, conducts surveys and provides training and consulting to the
Extension Service stakeholders throughout the country.
4 USDA operates consolidated county suboffices at the Tribal headquarters in each
county having a reservation within its borders.
4 USDA responds to research needs of industrial and field workers, such as
byssinosis avoidance through cotton dust control, grain dust reduction, and safe
pesticide application technology. u
4 USDA conducts research to describe the degradation of pesticides and other
chemicals, thereby contributing to safe handling procedures. Since many farm
workers who handle pesticides are minorities, well-designed safe handling
procedures better ensure worker safety.
4 USDA has established Centers of Excellence at 1890 Institutions to provide a
USDA presence on campus and enhance the ability of the institution to deliver
programs. A National Scholars Program provides scholarships and employment
opportunities for college students at the 1890 Land Grant Institutions. The
Summer Intern Program provides employment opportunities for high school
juniors and seniors to increase minority participation in agriculture, forestry, home
economics, and related fields.
4 National Agricultural Statistics Service, in collaboration with USDA Forest
Service, has also provided funding for an annual "Dream Warrior" Math and
Science Camp sponsored by the Indian Resource Development Program to teach
American Indian high school students the importance of math and science in
many different careers, including those dealing with agriculture.
Detailed examples include:
USDA sponsored four regional hunger forums during 1994 where program participants,
fanners, state case workers and advocates described the benefits and frustrations of the
Food Stamp Program and other programs. USDA held a series of national minority
round tables to examine nutrition issues affecting minority populations and to discuss the
implementation of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
Consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act, USDA Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) considers the affected public in its Mediterranean fruit fly
(Medfly) Cooperative Eradication Program. The program has'included the use of
chemical controls in suburban, urban, or rural areas. APHIS establishes telephone
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hotlines, staffed with English and non-English speaking personnel (depending upon the
demographics) to handle inquiries about the program. Residents and businesses are
notified of control activities through a multi-lingual communications effort including
door-to-door contact, local newspapers, and radio announcements. Fields are also
posted to notify farm workers. Chemically sensitive individuals are given special
consideration. Some States maintain registries of chemically sensitive individuals, and
through these registries, APHIS can provide notice to registrants who could be affected
by its activities.
Three USDA agencies - the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service, Forest Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service are working
together in the Urban Resources Partnership. These agencies are collaborating with
other federal agencies and state and local governments, and public and private
organizations to provide grants and technical assistance to minority and low-income
urban communities. The program's goal is to accomplish urban ecosystem conservation
through locally driven initiatives with grass roots support. To date, $6 million has been
allocated to 8 cities to assist urban residents.
The 1995 Urban Earth Day will be co-sponsored by Natural Resources Conservation
Services and the Minority Environmental Association. Urban Earth Day is the first
Earth Day festival organized to highlight and education about the environmental issues
affecting people of color and the poor.
3. Improve research and data collection relating to the health of and
environment of minority populations and low-income populations
A large proportion of USDA resources are devoted to research on production
agriculture, economics, and nutrition. USDA has accomplished significant research
related to environmental justice, as the following examples illustrate. USDA research
underway or partially completed includes:
4 Natural Resources Conservation Services has a cooperative agreement with
Tuskegee University to conduct a study and provide guidelines and
recommendations for implementation of the environmental justice policy.
4 A study of minority and women producers in Southern states (to be completed in
FY 1995) that will review ~ (1) their participation rates in Agency programs; (2)
their average base acreage and yields; and (3) their rates of election to the
County Committees. The results will be compared to the rates for other
producers to determine any disparities and to target potential corrective actions.
4 Various studies on telecommunications and its impact on rural America.
4 A scientific evaluation of Women, Infants, and Children nutrition risk criteria by
the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition
Board. The final report is due in September 1995.
4 USDA initiatives under the President's Plan for the Pacific Northwest include
- studies on the effects of the plan on population sectors that include minorities,
low-income, and American Indians. Those studies include: the East-Side Study,
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Pac-Fish, Columbia River Basin Assessment.
The Economic Research Service (ERS) programs include data collection and
analysis on chemical use in agriculture and safety measures farm operators should
provide workers who are engaged in chemical application activities.
USDA's ERS studies the differences in exposure to chemical toxins between
metro and nonmetro areas, and the link of toxins to employment opportunities in
metro versus nonmetro areas. . .
Scientific research is being conducted on body growth and nutrition of white,
Hispanic and African American babies. Agricultural Research Service has
pioneered in the research area of body fat distribution among various ethnic
populations. Information on the nutrient/gene relationships in diverse
populations will enable USDA to better form nutrient recommendations for
individuals and groups.
The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in partnership with five research
universities in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas began the Lower Mississippi
Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative to apply state-of-the-art nutrition
research tools to solve nutrition problems within the Delta and to contribute to
the future health and well-being of the citizens of the region.
USDA county offices maintain a confidential automated file containing
information on the race, sex, and ethnicity of participation rates for Title VI
compliance purposes and for other reporting requirements, including the biennial
report to Congress required by Section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture,
Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 USC 2279).
Property Environmental Tracking System (PETS) is a database system used to
track the agencies' properties where hazardous waste investigation have been
conducted or underground storage tanks have been found. Other information
includes the disposition of the property.
USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) collects racial/ethnic data on its recipients
annually. The data show the racial make-up of the borrowers' service area by
providing information on both the "served" and "unserved" residences.
Information is used to identify compliance review sites.
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the USDA
Agriculture Marketing Service develops and maintains an agricultural chemical
use database
used in the Pesticides Data Program. The database provides statistically reliable
state-level information on pesticides and fertilizers used on most food crops and
field crops in the major producing states. This information is shared and available
to the public.
The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) has many data sets on the
environment; pesticide use in agriculture; land, water, and conservation; rural
population and demography; and rural economics as well as the modeling and
geographic information system tools needed to use these data sets to address
environmental issues in agriculture and rural America.
CSREES in partnership with Honda A & M University is completing a database
of minority and women scientists to facilitate cultural diversity of scientific
activities, such as peer review panels, program review teams and advisory
committees.
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School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, 1993
Evaluation of the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, Final
Report, 1990
4 National WIC Evaluation, 1986
Food Stamp Program Participant Characteristic Studies
4 WIC Participant and Program Characteristics Studies: 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992
4 Review of WIC Nutritional Risk Criteria, 1991
4 Estimates of Persons Income Eligible for WIC in 1989: National and State
Tables; County Tables .
4 Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and the Natural Resource Conservation Service,
1994
4 Socially Disadvantaged Clientele of the Soil Conservation Service: A Market
Research Report, 1994 .
4 Identification of the Limited Resource Farmers Through the Utilization of the
National Resource Inventory Data and Incentives for the Limited Resource
Farmers to Adopt NRCS Programs, April 1994
4 Rural Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, Q'B93-38, 1993
4 Rural Industrialization, QB94-30, 1994
4 Rural Youth Employment, RICPS 30, 1993
4 Health Care in Rural America, QB94-08, 1994
4 Native American Health Care, QB93-40, 1993
4 Rural America's Elderly, QB93-36, 1993
4 Hazardous and Toxic Waste Management, QB93-59, 1993
4 Information Access in Rural America, QB94-39, 1994
4 Native American Natural Resource Management, QB-39, 1993
4 Population Migration in Rural America, QB93-35, 1993
4 Poverty in Rural America, QB94-01
4 Retirement Communities, RICPS 23, 1993
4 Alternatives to Waste Disposal, RICPS 14, 1992
4 Crime in Rural America, QB94-09, 1994
4 Rural Education QB92-15, 1992
4. Identify differential patterns of consumption of natural resources among
minority populations and low-income populations.
4 CSRES collects, maintains and analyzes information on the consumption pattern
of populations who principally rely on fish and wildlife for subsistence. This
information is communicated to the public regarding health risks of consumption
patterns, e.g., University of Alaska educational programs for native Alaskans. The
State Cooperative Extension Service publishes guidelines reiflecting the latest
scientific information available concerning methods of evaluating human risks, if^
any, associated with the consumption of pollutant-bearing fish or wildlife. Fact
sheets and bulletins are disseminated through the Extension service delivery
system to appropriate target populations.
4 USDA's NASS and the Intertribal Agricultural Council established a formal
agreement and funding to conduct a pilot agricultural statistics survey in the
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summer of 1994 for all tribes and reservations in the State of Montana. The
major data needs are number, size, and type of farm; crop area estimates; cattle,
sheep, and horse inventories. In summary, this study identifies management
solutions to the deficiencies in the agricultural statistics profile of Americans
Indian. Substantial new management, attention, action, and resource allocation to
improve the agricultural statistics profile for American Indian farms and ranches
USDATcommitted to establish and promote environmental justice goals relevant
to minority and low-income populations affected by all agency programs. County
committee approvals of individual applications for program participation have the
most potential for disproportionate adverse effects on minority and tow-income
populations. Over 40,000 of these decisions are made on an annual basis by the
more than 2,800 Consolidated Farm Services Agency county offices and
committees. USDA recently established procedures to assure minority
representation on the county committee in any county in which the percentage of
minority producers is five percent or more. In such counties (or communities),
when a representative of a minority group has not been officially appointed to the
committee, the committee is required to appoint a "minority advisor" to represent,
the views of the minority population in the county or community.
A USDA Forest Service National Resource Book on American Indian and Alaska
Native relations working draft, which will be released in April, 1995, will provide
guidance for the Agency in working with American Indian Tribes regarding their
special governmental status, culture, treaty or other statutory interests and rights
and is expected to expand development of cooperative relationships so that Tribes
have an opportunity to be included in the USDA Forest Service cooperative and
resource forestry programs. j
USDA's Limited Resource Fanners' Initiative encourages socially disadvantaged
individuals to enter and continue farming. In 1994, approximately $3 million was
allocated to the 1890 institutions to provide training to small fanners to do a
better job of management and to understand what USDA services are available
and how to take advantage of these services.
USDA is conducting small farmer town hall meetings to address marketing,
customer service, risk management strategies, and technical and financial
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USDA is currently working to establish an Incubator Farm Initiative which would
allow for the training of young aspiring farmers and would review policy
documents for the purpose of identifying language that present barriers to
program participation by small farmers.
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