The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture members addressed issues ranging from farmworker visa reform to funding for hemp research.
One program involves a handshake, a coin and a pledge made by the person accepting the coin to reach out to someone if they are depressed or have suicidal ideation.
Under the program, landowners can borrow up to $600,000 to "buy out other people with claims to land, consolidate a title and clear the titles on the ground. Those farms would then become eligible for other USDA agricultural programs as well."
USDA also added more time for stakeholders to comment on how the department serves marginalized and vulnerable communities. The effort is a response to an executive order affecting all executive branch agencies.
