Ag Deputy Secretary, Dr. Jewel Bronaugh at the FSC/LAF 55th annual meeting last August 2022 in Birmingham, AL.

FSC/LAF Statement on the Departure of USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh

EAST POINT, Ga. - Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund (the Federation) Executive Director, Cornelius Blanding commented today on the announcement that USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh is stepping down.

"Deputy Secretary Bronaugh has been a fearless champion for US agriculture as well as our membership of Black farmers, landowners, and cooperatives. She understands the challenges faced by Black farmers and rural communities and fought continuously for equity in USDA and the food system.”

-Cornelius Blanding, Executive Director of the Federation

The Federation fully supported the historic appointment of Deputy Secretary Bronaugh to work alongside the Secretary to implement the equity focus of the Biden/Harris Administration. Her appointment was instrumental in strengthening the relationship between USDA and communities of color. Dr. Jewel Bronaugh will be a hard act to follow. FSC/LAF strongly believes her replacement should be another person of color with a passion for equity and a commitment to diversity in agriculture.

The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund is a 56-year-old membership-based cooperative association of black farmers, landowners, and cooperatives.

Our mission is to be a catalyst for the development of self-supporting communities through cooperative economic development, land retention, and advocacy. We envision sustainable rural communities supported by a network of farmers, landowners, and cooperatives based on local control and ownership. 

FSC/LAF assists limited resource farmers, landowners, and cooperatives across the Southern region with business planning, debt restructuring, marketing expertise, and a whole range of other services to ensure the retention of black-owned land and cooperatives as a tool for social and economic justice.