The congressionally approved Equity Commission that will address racial discrimination at the USDA will have Arturo Rodriguez, former president of the United Farm Workers union, as one of its leaders, announced the Agriculture Department on Thursday. The 15-member commission will hold its first public meeting on Feb. 28.
Members include Ertharin Cousin, director of the UN World Food Program from 2012 to 2017; Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP; and Shirley Sherrod, an advocate for Black farmers and former USDA state director for rural development in Georgia. Deputy Agriculture Secretary Jewel Bronaugh was previously named as the commission’s other co-chair.
“USDA acknowledges we have not done enough to provide all farmers and ranchers an equal chance of success and prosperity, and we are striving to change that,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The USDA has been called “the last plantation” because of racial bias in its operations; it paid $2.2 billion to Black farmers and their descendants in the so-called Pigford settlements of 1999 and 2010. Last fall, the USDA said the equity commission was expected to issue an interim report and provide “actionable recommendations” within 12 months of starting work. A final report would be completed within a two-year time frame.
Members of the agriculture subcommittee include Pennsylvania agriculture secretary Russell Redding and Sarah Vogel, former North Dakota agriculture commissioner.