Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, at Faith and Fellowship Tuesday at the Great American Farmers Market, alongside Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins, and USDA Senior Advisor on Faith and Community Outreach Dr. Alveda King, issued a statement reaffirming the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) steadfast commitment to protecting and upholding religious liberties in all public engagements and federally administered programs.

“Religious freedom is America’s first protected liberty. USDA, founded on the promise to serve Americans equally, will vigorously defend the rights of individuals and organizations to express their faith in accordance with the Constitution of the United States,” said Secretary Rollins. “President Trump made it clear religious liberty is not just a personal right; it’s a national priority. By Executive Order, the President established the Religious Liberty Commission to ensure faith-based expression is protected across our Nation. At USDA, we recognize the Constitution protects religious liberties beyond private beliefs and ensures Americans are free to live out their faith in the public square and their workplaces, and when participating in USDA programs, without fear of retaliation or discrimination.”

The updated USDA guidance (PDF, 1.8 MB) reaffirms long-standing constitutional protections and aligns with recent Supreme Court decisions that clarify the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty consistent with President Trump’s directive to enforce the original constitutional meaning of religious liberty. The statement outlines the Department’s responsibility to safeguard religious expression for individuals, employees, and faith-based organizations who participate in USDA programs.

Key provisions include:

• Employee Religious Expression: Employees and supervisors in private workplaces are permitted to engage in religious expression, including discussing religious views and displaying religious materials.
• Faith-Based Organizations: Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) may participate in USDA programs, such as nutrition assistance, employment training, and food distribution, on equal footing with secular organizations. USDA may not require FBOs to alter their religious identity, messaging, or practices as a condition of participation.
• No Discrimination or Coercion: USDA is prohibited from coercing individuals or organizations to adopt specific beliefs or to prevent their participation in federally funded programs based on religious identity.

The guidance issued today supersedes any prior non-legally binding USDA guidance to the contrary and ensures consistent implementation of religious liberty protections across all mission areas in their engagements with the public.

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Washington, D.C., May 23, 2025 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) intent to purchase up to $67 million in fresh seafood, fruits, and vegetables from domestic producers to distribute to food banks and nutrition assistance programs across the country. These purchases are being made through Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 and will assist producers and communities in need. Fiscal year to date, USDA has provided more than $600 million in purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.

“These purchases deliver healthy, nutritious, American commodities to individuals and families in need. At a time when President Trump and his cabinet are working to Making America Healthy Again, USDA is proud to play a role in supporting those in need by providing access to the safest and highest quality fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood in the world,” said Secretary Rollins.

Agricultural Marketing Service Section 32 Purchases

On an ongoing basis, AMS purchases a variety of domestically produced and processed agricultural products as authorized by Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935. These “USDA Foods” are provided to USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) nutrition assistance programs, including food banks that operate The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and are a vital component of the nation’s food safety net.

USDA AMS will purchase $67 million of the following commodities:

Atlantic Groundfish - $20 million
Canned Pears - $14 million
Dried Sweet Cherries - $3 million
Great Northern Beans - $14 million
Pacific Pink Shrimp - $16 million

A pre-solicitation will be published by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Purchases are determined by industry requests, market analysis and food bank needs. Details on how vendors may participate are available on the Selling Food to USDA page on the AMS website and listed below. Industry requests for future purchases using Section 32 funds will be assessed on an ongoing basis.

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