A forum will be held Thursday to inform citizens about various programs offered by agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“A Day With USDA” will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Leflore County Civic Center. It has been organized by U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., in partnership with Alcorn State University Extension Service.
It is free and open to the public.
Agencies participating will include the USDA’s Rural Development, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Farm Services Agency, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the National Food and Nutrition Service, the Risk Management Agency and the U.S. Forest Service.
Community leaders, nonprofits, community- and faith-based organizations, entrepreneurs, Realtors, potential homebuyers, lenders, farmers, ranchers and school administrators are encouraged to attend the forum.
A focal point of the event is to reach citizens living in areas of persistent poverty.
Under the department’s StrikeForce Initiative, resources have been marshaled to help improve opportunities for socially disadvantaged farmers and communities. “The objective of StrikeForce is to partner with local community-based organizations and then work to improve USDA’s and our partnership’s outreach to these identified communities in order to increase their access to — and participation in — our valuable programs,” said Trina George, Rural Development state director.
About 90 percent of all U.S. persistent poverty counties are in rural areas.
