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Language Access

Timely, equitable, and accurate communication with the public is essential to USDA’s mission—to serve all people in the United States by providing effective, innovative, science-based policy leadership in agriculture, food and nutrition, natural resource protection and management, rural development, and related issues with a commitment to delivering equitable and climate-smart opportunities that inspire and help America thrive. The Department is committed to strengthening its services and programs by ensuring that individuals with limited English proficiency receive meaningful access to USDA’s federally conducted and federally assisted programs and activities.

About the Program

The USDA Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights leads the Department in eliminating barriers that prevent communities with limited proficiency in English from achieving meaningful access to USDA federally conducted and federally assisted programs and activities.

USDA Language Access Plan

View the Plan (in English) (PDF, 520 KB) Read the Press Release (in English)

Agencies/Mission Areas
Other Languages

 

USDA Language Access Statement

View the Statement (in English) (PDF, 240 KB)

Other Languages

 

Authorities and Related Documents

USDA Statutes, Regulations, and Directives:

  • Nondiscrimination in Programs or Activities Conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture, 7 C.F.R. §15d
  • Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Agriculture, 7 C.F.R. §15 Subpart A.
  • The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), 7 U.S.C. §§2011 et seq.
  • USDA Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding the Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Persons with Limited English Proficiency, 79 Fed. Reg. 70771 (Nov. 28, 2014)
  • USDA Departmental Regulation (DR) 4330-02: Nondiscrimination in Programs and Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance from the USDA (July 27, 2021)
  • USDA Departmental Regulation (DR) 4330-003: Nondiscrimination in USDA-Conducted Programs and Activities (October 2022)
  • USDA Departmental Regulation (DR) 4330-005: Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Persons with Limited English Proficiency in Programs and Activities Conducted by USDA (June 4, 2013)
  • USDA Departmental Regulation (DR) 4360-001: Communicating with Under-served Communities (January 1998)
  • USDA Strategic Plan (PDF, 9.6 MB) (Fiscal Years 2022-2026)
  • USDA Equity Action Plans

Other Executive Department Materials

 

For more information, to report a language access program, or to request language access services, contact LanguageAccess@usda.gov.