Video transcript · 2 min · 376 words
Marcia Fudge questions USDA on conservation grant definitions: transcript
Marcia Fudge questions the NRCS chief about a conservation collaborative grants announcement that left socially disadvantaged and Black farmers out of its definition of historically underserved farmers. The chief says he would include African-Americans and other minorities, and agrees to look at the definition.
Key points
- Fudge says urban agriculture has grown rapidly in northeast Ohio, with more than 120 seasonal high tunnels in her area of Cleveland.
- She thanks NRCS and partners such as the Federation of Southern Cooperatives for helping extend the growing season.
- She says she is disappointed that the grants announcement did not include socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and Black farmers in its definition of historically underserved.
- Fudge asks how someone can be historically underserved without being socially disadvantaged.
- The chief says he would include African-Americans and other minority populations and agrees to take a look at the definition.
Chapters
Full transcript
0:00Thank you so much for being here. Chief Lohr, I'm sure you're aware that the urban agriculture movement has grown rapidly in northeast Ohio, of course, where I'm from. In fact, the city of Cleveland is now recognized as having the second most active, successful U.S. urban agriculture movement in the United States. In my area of Cleveland, we have more than 120 seasonal high tunnel homes, which I'm sure you're aware. And I want to thank NRCS for programs and services and partnerships like the Federation of Southern Cooperatives because it does assist us in extending the growing season.
0:39And, you know, right now it's very cold in Ohio. But I will say that I'm disappointed that the most recent announcement for conservation collaborative grants funding did not include socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and black farmers in the definition of historically underserved farmers and ranchers. Could you tell me why? So I will say, first of all, thank you for the efforts you've done and led in your district over the years. You have an amazing number of high tunnels that have been constructed and certainly serves as a blueprint for other urban areas. In the past, we did not have a...
1:11A structured process for administering grants to different types of groups, outreach grants. So, at the urging of the secretary and the undersecretary, we wanted to try to make sure we could streamline that process, put a more structured process in place to make it more fair. So, as part of that, we've said $35 million aside that we're going to be administering the opportunity closes soon, conservation and collaboration grants, and $10 million of that is aimed towards historically underserved. But how could you be historically underserved if you're not socially disadvantaged?
1:42Please help me. Well, ma'am, in my opinion, that will certainly be included in that definition. But it isn't included. The fact is it is not included. Could you at least take a look at it? Yes, ma'am. I mean, because when you don't include black farmers, I don't know who else you include. Well, I can tell you that when I think of historically underserved, I certainly would include African-Americans and other minority populations. Let me just ask.
Source and licence
Recording: File:Marcia Fudge speaking about USDA conservation programs.ogv by Marcia Fudge (2020-01-28), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.
The transcript is machine speech-to-text by the TidyTools Audio & video transcriber; the summary, key points and chapters were written by Claude from that transcript. Both may contain errors: check the recording before quoting it.