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Farm and Food Policy Diversity Initiative
For further information or to be added to our policy action email list, please contact Savi Horne, Policy Team Chair, Quinton Robinson, or Lorette Picciano by email or by mail at the address at the bottom of this page.
Introduction
People of color producers have long struggled to gain fair access to USDA Programs and Services and remain excluded from the farm policy benefits that many other farmers have long enjoyed. This Special Initiative to Promote the Involvement of Socially Disadvantaged Producers in USDA programs is now being written into legislation.
Become A Supporter
Please email us to sign your organization on as a supporter of this initiative and the other Diversity Initiative Policy Priorities. And/or-write your member of Congress and two Senators and tell them that you support the following program.
Send an email titled "Support the Special Initiative for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers" to lpicciano@ruralco.org with your organization name, city and state, and a contact person with email and phone.
Socially Disadvantaged Producers Risk Management and Market Access Initiative
This initiative is a comprehensive legislative approach designed to
preserve and build land ownership by Socially disadvantaged farms and ranchers bring socially disadvantaged producers into USDA programs; contribute to rural communities, and to address the following challenges socially disadvantaged farmers and rancher face:
risk management and disaster protection, market access, access to credit, transition from tobacco and peanuts and other crops and to organic productions, value added, record keeping, and general farm management.
Under this initiative, funding and technical assistance will be provided directly to farmers and ranchers, including beginning socially disadvantaged producers and farmworkers seeing to become farmers and ranchers, and who meet the criteria in order to carry out the applicable functions. Community Based organizations would receive direct support from RMA to supply the technical assistance.
Eligibility: Socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.
Qualification level - The producers is awarded an Initial payment of $5000, half paid in advance. The producer must:
within one year prepare IRS schedule F or a qualified substitute for members of Indian Tribes. sign up for any crop insurance or NAP programs for which he or she is qualified, register at the FSA office. FSA must provide his or her name to the National Agriculture Statistics Service for inclusion in the next census of agriculture. The producer is also encouraged and may use technical assistance to be included in the Minority Farm Registry or complete the Census of Agriculture if applicable in that year. The producer must remain qualified at this level in order to participate in Tiers I, II or III.
A qualified Technical Assistance Provider will receive $2000 to assist the farmer in preparing these documents and accessing these services and in preparing a plan to apply for participation in Tiers I, II and III.
Tier I
Direct payments of $10,000 per year to complete at least 3 of the following:
A farm and home plan Applications for any USDA program for which he or she is eligible An estate plan, A risk management plan, including accessing family health insurance A conservation plan Plan for Land acquisition Disaster protection or mitigation plan Acquisition of a computer, high-speed internet access, and software, and training in the use of these tools. Plan to transition to another crop or crops
A qualified Technical Assistance Provider will receive $3000 to assist the farmer in accessing these services.
Tier II
Direct payment of $25,000 per year to complete at least 3 of the following:
Meet standards for Good Agricultural Practices, Organic Certification or other market certifications. Develop and implement a marketing plan Develop and implement a business plan Access liability or other expanded insurance, including revenue insurance Access farmers markets or improved marketing contracts Conduct assessment and develop and implement plan to meet regulatory requirements, including labor, workers compensation, and pesticide health and safety standards, Livestock and Animal ID Mentor another farmer Run for Conservation District Board or County Committee Qualifies for SARE Irrigation and other production assistance Waste management
A qualified Technical Assistance Provider will receive $4000 to assist the farmer in preparing these documents and accessing these services.
Tier III
Direct payment of $45,000
Cooperative development and the development of associations and value-added enterprises with other producers. Infrastructure development Develop cooperative insurance Programs Investment in Individual Development Accounts Enter nutrition programs such as school lunch, WIC, farmers market, senior nutrition, etc. Energy Programs Rural Development and Value-Added Programs
A qualified Technical Assistance Provider will receive $5000 to assist the farmer in preparing these documents and accessing these services.
ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
Make this a program under the commodities title and locate it in RMA Outreach and Civil rights office. Technical Assistance Providers will be qualified community-based organizations and Minority Serving Educational Institutions At least 20 additional Staff members will be provided for RMA regional offices and at headquarters. Authorize and Support the Small Farms Emphasis Program at USDA to work across agencies at USDA to assure coordination of services for socially disadvantaged farmers under this program. Include automatic entry into some USDA programs for completion of certain tiers.
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