Implementation of the Civil Rights Action Team report at USDA: an interim progress report

Original publisher: Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Civil Rights Implementation Team, [1997]. OCLC Number: (OCoLC)38107498 Subject: Agriculture and state -- United States. Excerpt: ... Program Delivery and Outreach STATUS BY RECOMMENDATION Status of Implementation by Recommendation Program Delivery and Outreach Recommendation 16 To assure that local delivery of USDA credit programs is fair and equi-table, work with the President and Congress to obtain the authority to make personnel selections and manage the Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services ( FFAS ) and Rural Development ( RD ) mission areas to ensure accountability down the line, from the Secretary to the State and county levels. Status of Implementation An outreach effort has been outlined to identify potential political appointee candidates from under-represented groups to fill vacant positions. An analysis will be prepared about the civil rights impact of pending appointments, espe-cially as it relates to under-represented groups. These efforts will ensure repre-sentation of under-represented groups at all levels of USDA, especially where USDA's top staff can set an example that the entire Department can follow. Recommendation 17 Modernize the FSA State and county committee system by converting all county non-Federal FSA positions, including county executive directors, to Federal status; changing the committee selection process; and remov-ing county committees from any farm loan determinations. Status of Implementation Legislative language to implement this recommendation has been incorpo-rated into H.R. 2185, " A bill to establish equitable service for customers and equal opportunity for employees of the United States Department of Agriculture, " which was introduced July 17, 1997, by Representative Eva Clayton. The proposed legislation will convert approximately 10,400 perma-nent and 2,800 temporary county committee employees to Federal positions. In addition, provisions are included ...