National Employee Development Center

1. National Employee Development Center Outreach Training

2. OBJECTIVES • Distinguish the difference between Outreach and Civil Rights; • Understand that Outreach is a process and how the process works; • Describe the roles, responsibilities, and relationships of NRCS management; and • Discuss why leadership, at all levels, must be accountable to the Outreach program.

3. OBJECTIVES - CONTINUED • Understand and appreciate the diversity needs of our Outreach customers and how to communicate with them; • Conduct Outreach in your area of program responsibility; • Perform and understand tracking, documentation, and the reporting of Outreach accomplishments, and activities; • Evaluate yourself as a steward of Outreach; and • Develop and understand the importance of an Outreach plan.

4. NRCS Program Outreach Authorities Secretary’s Memorandum 1020-48, Establishment of the Office of Outreach Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 USC 2000(d) – 2000 (d)(1) Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (P.L. 104- 624, Sec. 2501) Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-171)

5. NRCS Program Outreach - Continued • Executive Orders, 12876, 12898, 12900, 13270 • Small Farms Policy, Departmental Regulation 9700-1 • Small Limited Resource Farmer Initiative, Agricultural Act of 1987 (P.L. 100-133, Sec. 622, 1010 Stat 1985) • NRCS Outreach Policy - 2003

6. USDA Farm Bills • Key language includes: --Re-assuring, funding the USDA 2501 Program and other minority serving institutions, --”Underserved farmers, ranchers, and producers” --”New and beginning farmers”, --Providing assistance on tribal lands, and --Socially disadvantaged

7. NRCS Strategic Plan Management Initiative: Ensuring Civil Rights Management Goal: • NRCS policy to achieve a diverse workforce. • NRCS is committed to provide equitable service to all customers.

8. NRCS Outreach Policy Subpart 406.1 Policy A. The policy of the Natural Resources Conservation Service mandates that we: • Conduct outreach to serve a diverse clientele; • Inform and educate existing and potential customers about NRCS and USDA conservation programs and services;

9. NRCS Outreach Policy-Continued • Incorporate outreach tracking into the existing integrated accountability system; • Provide leadership and guidance to conduct outreach activities and initiatives; and • Engage partners in the outreach process.

10. Part 406 - National Outreach PolicyProtocol Subpart B – Responsibilities • Chief • Chief’s Executive Team • Director of Outreach • State Conservationists

11. Part 406 - National Outreach Policy Subpart C – Measurability/Accountability • Incorporate outreach into the national measurement and accountability system. • Develop national outreach performance standards and elements at all levels.

12. Part 406 – National Outreach Policy-Continued • Use a variety of measurement tools for capturing diverse outreach efforts and accomplishments. • Ensure that strategic, business and performance plans at all levels include outreach goals.

13. Outreach - State Level • State Outreach Plan • NHQ - Outreach Division Role

14. MISSION The Mission of the NRCS Outreach process is to provide leadership to ensure that all programs and services are made accessible to all NRCS customers, fairly and equitably, with emphasis on reaching the "underserved."

15. VISION Reaching out to the "underserved" communities through partnerships resulting in trust and full participation in all NRCS programs.

16. Hugh Hammond Bennett

17. Demonstration Project

18. Sequence of Outreach Events • Program Outreach ( “in name”) began in late 70’s – early 80’s. • Creation of a Limited Resources Farmers list (LRF) file, with emphasis on women, minority farmers, and limited resource producers. • Events of the 90’s Include: --Black farmers march on Washington and other minority farmer issues. --USDA Civil Rights Action Team (CRAT) report. --USDA Civil Rights Implementation Team (CRIT) report.

19. Sequence of Outreach Events - Continued • Outreach division formed; • Outreach policy developed; • Outreach training course initiated; and • Utilization of the Outreach Activities Tracking Sheet (OATS) as a National Outreach tool.

20. WHAT IS OUTREACH

21. WEBSTER defines OUTREACH as: • An organized effort to extend services beyond usual limits, as to particular segments of a community.

22. THE NRCS OUTREACH PROCESS IS DEFINED AS: • Conducting business to ensure that NRCS programs and services are made accessible to all customers, with emphasis on the underserved.

23. WHO ARE UNDERSERVED CUSTOMERS? Individuals and groups who have not participated in or have received limited benefits from USDA or NRCS programs.

24. WHO ARE UNDERSERVED CUSTOMERS - Continued Historically, the underserved include tribes, minorities, women, the disabled, limited resource farmers/ranchers, and small-scale farmers.

25. UNDERSERVED NONFARMERS INCLUDE: • Members of religious and ethnic groups, • Rural communities, • Urban communities, and • Specialty/organic producers.

26. IS THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS WITH OUR CUSTOMERS. OUTREACH

27. IS NOT OUTREACH A minority program; A new or separate program; or A program. CIVIL RIGHTS

28. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AND OUTREACH CIVIL RIGHTS ?

29. CIVIL RIGHTS HAS TO DO WITH THE STATUTES THAT PERTAIN TO EMPLOYMENT (TITLE VII) AND PROGRAM DELIVERY (TITLE VI)

30. Civil Rights = Outreach Outreach is the Process Civil Rights is the Goal

31. NRCS Program Outreach “Outreach Is Everybody’s Business”

32. Summary We have discussed the following: • Origin and basis of Outreach as a program; • Events and legislation that have advanced Outreach to its present status; • There is a difference between Outreach and Civil Rights; and • Outreach is a process.

33. Thank you! USDA-NRCS is an equal opportunity employer and provider. NRCS~ Helping People Help the Land www.il.nrcs.usda.gov