- HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- HRSA Announces Action to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Life-Saving Medications at Health Centers Nationwide
- Public Inspection: HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- Increased Risk of Cyber Threats Against Healthcare and Public Health Sector
- Eight Hospitals Selected for First Cohort of Rural Hospital Stabilization Program
- Announcing the 2030 Census Disclosure Avoidance Research Program
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- CMS: Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments; and Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status; Corrections and Correcting Amendment
$500,000 Available in Pennsylvania to Improve Urban Agriculture Infrastructure, Combat Food Apartheid
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced the opening of the 2020-21 PA Farm Bill’s $500,000 Urban Agriculture Grant Program to grow agricultural infrastructure in urban food deserts to improve access to fresh, local food and provide opportunities for hands-on learning and community-building.
“In 2020 we saw the sad result of the reality of food apartheids as people in urban communities without access to fresh, nutritious food were disproportionately affected by COVID-19,” said Redding. “Nutrition and health – strong immune systems and susceptibility to disease – are inextricably linked. COVID-19 compounded upon years of lack of access to nutritious food and minority urban communities were hit hard by the pandemic.
“The Urban Ag Program aims to increase access to fresh and nutritious food while simultaneously providing opportunities for personal and community growth through shared purpose and passion,” said Redding.
The Urban Agriculture Grant Program will provide grants to improve agriculture infrastructure in urban areas, the aggregation of product, sharing of resources, and support for community development efforts.
Two types of grants can be awarded: “microgrants” and “collaboration” grants. Microgrants of up to $2,500 in matching funds can be used for one-time projects or a single entity applicant. Collaboration grants (up to $50,000 in matching funds) demonstrate cooperative or regional efforts which share resources, aggregate agricultural products or producers, promote the sharing of resources among agricultural entities, and support community development.
Redding was joined by state Senator Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), champion for the Urban Ag Program legislation in Governor Tom Wolf’s inaugural Pennsylvania Farm Bill, and Frank Sherman, co-managing director for First Light Project who received a grant in the last round to initiate their pilot farm to grow food for Philadelphia while simultaneously addressing a need for jobs, food, ag education, and improved health and well-being in the community.
“Pennsylvania agriculture is integral to our ability to keep food resources flowing during COVID. Food banks and urban gardens have been the vanguard against hunger and food insecurity,” said Street. “The Urban Agriculture Grant Program has been vital in providing food resources for 28 projects in 2020. It is encouraging to know that 2021 grant applications will continue to sustain communities across the Commonwealth as we move beyond this health crisis.”
First Light Project uses hydroponic technology on farms throughout the city to grow and sell leafy greens and herbs. They train and employ residents to operate the hydroponic farm, address food insecurity, inspire the community, and support the local economy. First Light used their $37,884 Urban Ag Grant funds to offset the cost of a full-scale hydroponic farm in the Philabundance Warehouse. Upon completion of development, the farm will employ five local community members, four high school interns annually, and is expected to produce nearly 100,000 pounds of produce annually. Of this fresh produce, the farm is committed to donating at least 10 percent directly to community partners to reduce food insecurity in Philadelphia.
The 2020-21 Urban Agriculture Grant Program application period runs from March 1 through April 16, 2021 at 5:00 PM. For more information or to apply, visit agriculture.pa.gov/pafarmbill.
“This pandemic has focused our attention on inequities, but it has also sharpened our focus on the important role urban and community gardens play in our commonwealth’s food system,” added Redding. “This funding for urban ag projects will strengthen the resiliency of urban communities across Pennsylvania and the food that grows from these projects will nourish those in need, together breaking down the walls of food apartheid.”
The PA Farm Bill is a comprehensive set of programming and funding for Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry. With the third round of funding proposed in Governor Wolf’s 2021-22 budget, the PA Farm Bill will continue to strengthen the resiliency of the industry so many rely on to sustain life.
For more information about the Pennsylvania Farm Bill visit agriculture.pa.gov/pafarmbill. The Department of Agriculture is actively working to roll out grant programs for the 2020-21 funding. The Ag and Youth Grant Program and Commonwealth Specialty Crop Block Grant Program are open now with their application periods closing on March 5, 2021.
Pennsylvania Governor Revises Mitigation Order on Gatherings and Lifts Out-of-State Travel Restrictions
As COVID-19 cases continue to decline and the state’s vaccination plan is amplified, the Wolf Administration announced revised and lifted mitigation restrictions that are effective statewide. Please read the revised mitigation orders below.
“Pennsylvania is taking a measured approach to revising or lifting mitigation orders,” Gov. Wolf said. “The reason we are seeing cases drop can be attributed, in part, to people following the mitigation efforts we have in place. Mask-wearing, social distancing and hand hygiene are making a difference and need to continue even as we see more and more people fully vaccinated. We need to balance protecting public health with leading the state to a robust economic recovery. We are lifting mitigation efforts only when we believe it is safe to do so.”
The revised mitigations restrictions announced today include:
- Revised maximum occupancy limits for indoor events to allow for 15% of maximum occupancy, regardless of venue size. Core public health measures such as face covering (mask-wearing), social distancing, and hand hygiene still must be enforced. The 15% of maximum occupancy is permitted only if attendees and workers are able to comply with the 6-foot physical distancing requirement.
- Revised maximum occupancy limits for outdoor events to allow for 20% of maximum occupancy, regardless of venue size. Core public health measures such as face covering (mask-wearing), social distancing, and hand hygiene still must be enforced. The 20% of maximum occupancy is permitted only if attendees and workers are able to comply with the 6-foot physical distancing requirement.
- Eliminate out-of-state travel restrictions. In November, the Department of Health provided an updated travel order requiring anyone over the age of 11 who visits from another state to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in a travel quarantine for 14 days upon entering Pennsylvania. Today, this order was rescinded. The current downward trend of cases nationwide and implementation of testing requirements and universal face covering on public transportation and transportation hubs are reducing the risk that interstate travel is a vector of disease transmission.
Along with these changes, there is caution. Reduced cases, hospitalizations and deaths, and the more than 2.3 million vaccinations are good signs, but the CDC advises that now is not the time to introduce expansive loosening of mitigation efforts known to put people at more risk. New cases of variants continue to appear, and some experts warn of a fourth surge in cases.
The Acting Secretary of Health’s revised order on gatherings can be found here.
The Acting Secretary of Health’s order rescinding travel restrictions can be found here.
Find FAQs for the mitigation order changes here: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Guidance/Targeted-Mitigation-FAQ.aspx
New Study Examines Importance and Unique Characteristics of U.S. Female Farmers
While women can be drawn into farming for many reasons, researchers in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have found that female-owned farms in the U.S. are more common in areas that are closer to urban markets, that engage in agritourism activity, and that offer greater access to childcare.
The number of farms operated by women has risen over the past two decades, said Claudia Schmidt, assistant professor of marketing and local/regional food systems.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture changed the way it counts the operators of farms in its most recent Census of Agriculture, allowing for up to four principal operators per farm. This has inflated the number of female operators somewhat, but female participation in agriculture is nonetheless at an all-time high, said Schmidt.
“This type of research is needed not just for reasons of equity, but also to support a more diverse and resilient agricultural sector in general,” said Schmidt. “Without knowing more about female farm-operators’ decision making, agricultural service providers have had to make assumptions about the type of information and products that are useful to them. Our analysis shows some of the ways in which female-owned farms are unique and it can offer important insights into how best to serve this population.”
Using data from the U.S. Census of Agriculture from 2002-2017, Schmidt and her colleagues developed a statistical model to examine the relationship between a county’s share of female-operated farms and the conditions in the county. Their goal was to shed light on aspects of the local economic and agricultural ecosystems that are most strongly associated with female-owned farms.
The researchers identified 10 economic variables hypothesized to matter, including unemployment, non-farm wages, availability of childcare, and the rate of female participation in the labor force. They also examined the total number of farms, average farm size and annual sales, average farmer age, and the types of farm activities carried out. They looked at each variable in isolation to determine which variables are independently and most strongly associated with the share of female-operated farms.
“We wanted to understand why women are drawn to farming,” said Stephan Goetz, professor of agricultural and regional economics and director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD). “Is it because they want to engage in this kind of work, or is it because they are pushed into farming due to a lack of other economic opportunities locally? We also wanted to examine how local agricultural conditions — what farming generally looks like in a given place — relate to women’s participation in agriculture.”
The analysis, which was recently published in Food Policy, shows that more female-owned farms are found where average farm size is below 50 acres, where annual farm sales average less than $10,000 per farm, where more farms specialize in grazing sheep or goats, and where agritourism activities — which attract visitors to farms — are more common.
The researchers also found that direct-to-consumer sales are more prevalent in counties with more female-owned farms. It is therefore not surprising that urban areas with high population densities have more female-owned farms than more rural areas do, said Goetz.
“Our findings suggest that females are more likely to engage in the type of farming that benefits from being in or near urban locations,” said Goetz. “In addition to offering more opportunities to market directly to consumers, urban and suburban locations also offer greater access to childcare than rural areas, and our research showed the availability of childcare is correlated with the number of female-owned farms in a county.”
The researchers also noted that the share of farms with female operators is higher in counties with a greater total number of farms, which could reflect increased opportunities for networking and learning through knowledge-sharing networks.
“Our research suggests that female-owned farms are more common in certain economic and agricultural ecosystems,” Schmidt said. “Therefore, they likely have different needs in terms of education and support, and this research is an important step in identifying these differences.”
Among other questions, future research will look at the impact of female-owned farms on local economic and agricultural conditions.
Zheng Tian, a research associate at the NERCRD, also contributed to this research, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture and by Hatch/Multi-State Appropriations under Project #PEN04633 and Accession #1014522.
CMS Announces Additional Navigator Funding to Support Marketplace Special Enrollment Period
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making approximately $2.3 million in additional funding available to current Navigator grantees in Federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM) states to support the outreach, education and enrollment efforts around the 2021 Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that runs through May 15, 2021. The 30 organizations eligible to receive these funds work across 28 FFM states to help consumers access financial assistance through HealthCare.gov, complete their applications, and enroll in coverage through the Marketplace, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
“President Biden has made clear that every American deserves access to quality, affordable health care. Navigators help Americans understand their health insurance options, connecting consumers with financial help, and help them enroll in Marketplace plans, Medicaid, or CHIP,” said Jeff Wu, CMS Acting Deputy Administrator. “During a public health emergency, it is critical for consumers to have access assistance with finding affordable, comprehensive health coverage that best fits their needs.”
Navigators play a key role in reaching underserved communities that historically have experienced lower access to health coverage and greater disparities in health outcomes. Their mission focuses on assisting the uninsured and other vulnerable communities. The additional resources announced today will provide vital support and resources to these communities.
Navigator organizations can determine how best to utilize the additional funding made available by CMS based on their previously approved plans and current needs. CMS will review all updated plans and budget documentation that outline how Navigators plan to use the additional funding to enhance their previously approved program operations for the remainder of the 2020-2021 budget period.
CMS will invest in the future of the Navigator program this year, and plans to increase funding significantly for the upcoming 2021 Navigator Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) grants to facilitate a robust applicant pool and increase access to assistance for consumers in the future.
CMS plans to publish the NOFO this spring to allow sufficient time to award a new round of Navigator grants in advance of Open Enrollment for the 2022 plan year. The current 2020 Navigator grant awards run through August 29, 2021.
For a list of current CMS Navigator grantees, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/Health-Insurance-Marketplaces/Downloads/2020-Navigator-Grant-Recipients.pdf
To view the Upper Limits for 2020 Navigator Supplemental Funding Allocations, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/upper-limits-2021-navigator-supplemental-funding-allocations.pdf
USDA Invites Comments on Final Rule to Expand Broadband Access in RuralAmerica Under the ReConnect Program
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that USDA is seeking comments on a final rule to expand broadband service in rural areas by simplifying program requirements to make more companies eligible to participate in USDA’s ReConnect Program.
The rule will eliminate paperwork requirements and will shorten the application process. It also enables an applicant to submit a letter of credit as proof of its financial ability to complete a project. These changes are expected to enable more companies to participate in the ReConnect program, resulting in more broadband coverage in rural areas. The changes take effect April 27, 2021, at the end of a 60-day comment period.
The ReConnect Program offers loans, grants and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas that do not currently have sufficient access to it.
Comments must be submitted through https://www.regulations.gov by April 27, 2021. For additional information, see page 11603 of the February 26, 2021, Federal Register.
CMS: Outreach & Education Resources for Partners during the Pandemic
As COVID-19 vaccines begin rolling out across the country, CMS is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers and keeping you updated on the latest COVID-19 resources from HHS, CDC and CMS.
With information coming from many different sources, CMS has compiled resources and materials to help you share important and relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. We look forward to partnering with you to promote vaccine safety and encourage our beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity.
Promoting COVID-19 Vaccines in Your Community
CDC has designed a COVID-19 vaccine toolkit to help your organization educate community members about COVID-19 vaccines, raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination, and address common questions and concerns. It is full of free digital resources, templates, posters and ideas for how to work within your community to help promote the COVID vaccine.
HOW CAN YOU GET STARTED?
Know the COVID-19 Vaccine Resources that are Available to You
- The COVID-19 Vaccines Factsheet is in plain language with information on COVID-19 vaccines. This fact sheet is available in multiple languages: Arabic | Spanish | Korean | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Tagalog | Traditional Chinese | Vietnamese
- Vaccine Promotion Posters are available to encourage your community to get a COVID-19 vaccine. There are poster options for different audiences including long-term care facility workers, long-term care facility residents, and essential workers such as public safety workers, first responders, farmers and others. All of the vaccine promotion posters are also available in Spanish.
- A COVID-19 Vaccinations Social Media Toolkit is available with sample Social Media messages and images for use on various social media channels that your organization uses, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can use them as-is with the hashtag #SleeveUp or include your own identity.
- A COVID-19 Vaccine Powerpoint Presentation is available for webinars, conferences and other events. The presentation is also available in Spanish.
- Drop-in COVID-19 vaccine language may be used for e-newsletters, listserv announcements or other types of media.
- Printable Stickers can be used for staff to handout to people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Some stickers are also available in Spanish.Widgets can be placed on your organization’s website to enhance access to up to date information on COVID-19 vaccines.
Use the COVID-19 Resources to Share your Messages
- Adapt the key messages to the language, tone, and format that will resonate with your community. You know what works in your community.
- Customize this template letter and send or email it to your community members to introduce your COVID-19 vaccine educational activities.
- Print copies of the posters and use them as handouts or to hang in highly visible places in your community.
- Organize a COVID-19 vaccine presentation for your community members and promote it via digital and community communication channels. If your community has internet access, organize a virtual presentation. If it does not, organize an in-person presentation following COVID-19 safety precautions. Ask if your local health department can provide a speaker if you do not have a health educator on staff.
- Continue to educate your community via articles, blog posts, and CDC social media posts or retweet and share CMS Medicare social media messages on Twitter and Facebook.
- Invite community members to wear stickers once they have been vaccinated and post vaccination selfies on social media.
Communicate with Your Community
- Send an introductory letter to encourage your branches, chapters, or affiliates to review and use the toolkit materials, or a letter to members of your organization.
- Drop the newsletter content into your e-newsletters or listservs to distributed and share information widely on COVID-19 vaccines.
- Use the COVID-19 Vaccine Basic slide deck for virtual town halls or other informational meetings within your communities. You can use all or part of the set or also include your own organization’s information. Slides are also available in Spanish.
- Share these key messages about COVID-19 vaccine to educate your communities. These key messages are also available in a printable PDF version.
- Use the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help answer questions about COVID-19 vaccine in your communities. FAQs also available in a printable PDF version.
- Share credible and accurate COVID-19 vaccine information from the Myths & Facts page.
- Encourage your community members who are vaccinated to enroll in v-safe an after vaccination health checker.
Questions? Please e-mail us: Partnership@cms.hhs.gov
Subscribe Now to the CMS Rural Health Listserv!
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rural health listserv is dedicated to sharing information about programs, policies and resources to help ensure rural populations have access to quality health care. To subscribe to the new topic, click here and enter your email.
Our goal at CMS is to develop programs and policies that ensure rural Americans have access to high quality care, support rural providers and not disadvantage them, address the unique economics of providing health care in rural America, and reduce unnecessary burdens in a stretched system to advance our commitment to improving health outcomes for Americans living in rural areas.
Subscribe to the rural health care listserv to receive the latest information and resources on:
- CMS Rural Health Strategy
- Maternal health care
- Payment and billing
- Policies and regulation
- Resources for partners
In order to find more information on rural health activities at CMS, please visit go.cms.gov/ruralhealth or contact RuralHealth@cms.hhs.gov
Recently Released: Healthy People 2030’s Leading Health Indicators and Overall Health and Well-Being Measures
HHS has released a new subset of objectives and a new set of health measures as part of the Healthy People 2030 initiative: Leading Health Indicators (LHIs) and Overall Health and Well-Being Measures (OHMs). Together, LHIs and OHMs will help public health and health care professionals, businesses, policymakers, national organizations, and community leaders set priorities and track nationwide progress toward improving health and well-being.
Click here for more information and for videos on the indicators and measures.
New ADA HPI Workforce Infographic Released
The American Dental Association (ADA) Health Policy Institute (HPI) released a new infographic, “The Dentist Workforce – Key Facts.” It contains dentist-to-population ratios by state and change over the past decade, age distribution and retirement age, as well as gender and racial and ethnic composition of the workforce.
USDA Invests $42 Million in Distance Learning and Telemedicine Infrastructure to Improve Education and Health Outcomes
Pennsylvania project receives $490,381 grant
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is investing $42.3 million to help rural residents gain access to health care and educational opportunities. Rural areas are seeing higher infection and death rates related to COVID-19 due to several factors, including a much higher percentage of underlying conditions, difficulty accessing medical care, and lack of health insurance. The $42.3 million in awards includes $24 million provided through the CARES Act. In total, these investments will benefit 5 million rural residents.
“The coronavirus pandemic is a national emergency that requires an historic federal response. These investments by the Biden Administration will help millions of people living in rural places access health care and education opportunities that could change and save lives,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA is helping rural America build back better using technology as a cornerstone to create more equitable communities. With health care and education increasingly moving to online platforms, the time is now to make historic investments in rural America to improve quality of life for decades to come.”
These investments will benefit 5 million rural residents.
In Pennsylvania, the following project received funds through the DLT grant program today:
- O.S. Johnson Technical Institute received a DLT grant of $490,381 to implement a distance learning program in Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Pike and Wayne counties. The project will link Johnson College with four rural high schools and three libraries. Students will have interactive, two-way access to Johnson College faculty and will participate in remote education, discussions, testing and skills demonstrations. Laboratories and classrooms at Johnson College will be similarly equipped to enable maximum interaction between faculty and students. In addition, three rural libraries will be equipped with laptops to give community residents access to career development services and courses at Johnson College.
A recent report by the Rural Policy Research Institute’s Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis found infection and death rates in rural America due to COVID-19 are 13.4 percent higher than in urban areas. A recent report from USDA’s Economic Research Service, USDA ERS – Rural Residents Appear to be More Vulnerable to Serious Infection or Death From Coronavirus COVID-19, underscored the challenges facing rural Americans amidst the COVID-19 pandemic with even greater detail. Due to a confluence of factors, including higher percentages of underlying conditions, lack of health insurance, and lower access to medical facilities/care than urban counterparts, ERS analysts found rural Americans are suffering more severe illness or death due to COVID-19.
Background:
USDA is funding 86 projects through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grant program. The program helps rural education and health care entities remotely reach students, patients and outside expertise. These capabilities make world-class education and health care opportunities accessible in rural communities. The ability to use telehealth resources is critical, especially now during a global pandemic.
USDA also announced investments today in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, interested parties should contact their USDA Rural Development state office.
In January, President Biden requested all parts of the federal government to contribute resources to contain the coronavirus pandemic. USDA is responding to the President’s call to action. To date, more than 350 USDA personnel have deployed to assist with standing up vaccination sites, for example. In addition to personnel, USDA is offering its facilities, cold chain infrastructure, public health experts, disaster response specialists, and footprint in rural and Tribal communities across the country. USDA’s commitment to control the pandemic extends to our own staff and facilities, with masking and physical distancing requirements across USDA, a commitment to provide PPE to our front-line workers, and working with states to prioritize vaccinations for our workforce. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/coronavirus. USDA also encourages people seeking health insurance to go to HealthCare.gov now through May 15th due to a Special Enrollment Period. If you are recently uninsured due to a job loss or between jobs, find a plan at HealthCare.gov and keep it for as long as you need it.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.