Perdue Enlists American Innovators to Advance Self-Sufficiency
Washington, DC, May 8, 2019 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue met today with leaders from around the country to explore new ways to help low-income Americans access nutritious food and move to an independent and self-sufficient future.
Participants in today’s discussion at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ranged from developers of apps and other cutting-edge technology to workforce partners and leaders of rescue missions using the power of faith to transform lives. They are united by a shared interest: helping people in need get access to nutritious food and achieve self-sufficiency.
“We want to figure out how we can work together. We consider these innovators as partners in our overall effort to fulfill our motto – to Do Right and Feed Everyone,” said Secretary Perdue. “We want to learn from you what we need to be doing better, what we ought to be doing and what we ought to stop doing… to help people move past dependency, into a more independent lifestyle.”
Today’s roundtable aligns with the core of USDA’s mission, and Secretary Perdue’s vision, to provide access to nutritious food with an emphasis on helping people achieve their personal and career goals. Today’s discussion draws on lessons, examples, and expertise from these front-line innovators and creates opportunities for USDA to improve customer service and strengthen results. These discussions focused on reducing barriers for these private partners to work with USDA to better serve our shared customers.
This nutrition-focused effort is the latest example of USDA’s commitment to learn from the best in business and foster positive working relationships with innovative private partners towards shared goals in every part of its wide-ranging portfolio. It is especially important because nutrition assistance programs are built on partnerships, and public-private partnerships have proven successful in dealing with challenging issues we face in meeting diverse needs of the people we serve.
FNS has the following Special Emphasis Programs
The Civil Rights Division (CRD) ensures that the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) complies with the laws, regulations, policies, and guidance that prohibit discrimination against employees and applicants in the federal workplace. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws prohibit discrimination in employment to ensure fair hiring, competition in promotions, and equal access to training/development opportunities.
La División de Derechos Civiles (CRD, por sus siglas en inglés) se asegura que el Servicio de Alimentos y Nutrición (FNS, por sus siglas en inglés) cumpla con las leyes, reglamentos, políticas, e instrucciones que prohíben la discriminación en contra de los empleados y los solicitantes en el trabajo federal. Las leyes de Igualdad de Oportunidades en el Empleo (EEO, por sus siglas en inglés) prohíben la discriminación en el trabajo para asegurar una contratación justa, competencia en las promociones e igualdad de acceso a oportunidades de capacitación/desarrollo.
USDA prohibits discrimination against its employees. USDA employees and applicants for employment who believe they have been subjected to employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and expression), national origin, age, disability, reprisal, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, or genetic information, have the right to file an EEO complaint.
This file contains WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program grant amounts by state agency. The table displays data for the most recent fiscal years.
Secretary Perdue Statement on Newly Appointed FNCS Leadership
Washington, DC, August 19, 2019 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has sworn in Brandon Lipps as Deputy Under Secretary of the Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS) and Pam Miller as the Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Secretary Perdue issued the following statement:
“I am excited to welcome Brandon Lipps and Pam Miller to these new roles within the Department and thank them for their hard work up to this point. Both Brandon and Pam have extensive experience in nutrition policy and have already been serving in FNCS leadership positions. I am confident they will hit the ground running and continue the great work the Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services does to feed those in need."
Brandon Lipps has served as Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service, and also as Acting Deputy Under Secretary of the Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services since July 2017. Before being appointed to his current position, he worked for the Texas Tech University System as the Chief of Staff and Director of Federal Affairs in the Office of Chancellor Robert Duncan. In this role, Lipps was the leading force in developing policy initiatives and strategic priorities for the Chancellor. Prior to joining the Texas Tech University System, he served as counsel and senior professional staff to the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture where he lead the nutrition policy team. Lipps also served as Chancellor Duncan's consultant, legislative aide, and rural district director during his time as a Texas State Senator. Lipps is also a former associate at the Lubbock law firm of Crenshaw, Dupree & Milam. He hails from Woodson, Texas and graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics. Lipps earned his law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law.
Pam Miller has served as the USDA's Food and Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS) Senior Associate Administrator for Policy since September 2018. In this role she has worked on a wide range of policies promoting self-sufficiency, program integrity, and instilling public confidence in USDA's oversight of the 15 nutrition programs. Prior to joining USDA, Pam worked for the U.S. House of Representatives for 20 years. During her career she was senior professional staff for the House Agriculture Committee where she helped craft three farm bills focused on nutrition and specialty crop issues. She then joined the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, serving as the lead professional staff for FNS, as well as USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service and Food Safety and Inspection Service accounts developing annual spending bills. Her experience as staff for both the Agriculture and Appropriations Committees give her a unique perspective to implementing nutrition policy at USDA. Pam grew up on a small livestock operation near Lubbock, Texas, and received her degree in Agricultural Communications from Texas Tech University.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
The USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
De acuerdo con la ley federal de derechos civiles y las normas y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA), esta entidad está prohibida de discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo (incluyendo identidad de género y orientación sexual), credo religioso, discapacidad, edad, creencias políticas, o represalia o retorsión por actividades previas de derechos civiles.
The USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.