 Juneteenth
By Ali Muhammad, Esq., AMS Civil Rights Deputy Director
Juneteenth, also known by African Americans as Emancipation Day, Black Independence Day, and Jubilee Day, celebrates the end of slavery and commemorates June 19, 1865, the day when General Gordon Granger of the Union Army arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed Black (African Americans) enslaved people that the Civil War had ended. The holiday recognizes the emancipation of Black (African American) slaves, declaring them a free people. Granger’s message came more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation (The Wartime Measures Act was passed in 1918 and I would delete mention of it) on January 1,1863, freeing all slaves in the confederate states seceded from the union.
The Proclamation, signed by President Lincoln two-years before the Civil War ended, declared “that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious states are, and henceforward shall be free.” Despite the expressive wording, the Emancipation Proclamation was limited. It applied only to states, that had seceded, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal border states, like Maryland. It also expressly exempted parts of the Confederacy (the Southern secessionist states) that had already come under Northern control. The Emancipation Proclamation, contrary to opinion, did not end slavery in the nation. That would not come until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on December 6, 1865.
Last week we shared part five of the AMS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan. It is available on AMS Insight: AMS DEIA Strategic Plan. The AMS DEIA FY2022 Annual Tactical Plan is also available on Insight. In case you missed any segment, please take a few minutes to learn more about the DEIA Strategic Plan and Council.
Take a few seconds to watch this short video.
Interested in helping rollout the DEIA Strategic Plan and sharing it with your colleagues, or helping support the work of the DEIA Council? Email Communications and Outreach Committee Chairs Ashley Garrigus (ashley.garrigus@usda.gov) and Torey Powell (Torey.Powell@usda.gov).
 We need your help to increase the AMS participation rate from last year. With your input, we can help make AMS a better place to work where everyone feels their voice is heard.
We understand that you are busy, but we ask you to set aside 15-20 minutes to answer some very important questions which will impact AMS and USDA. This is an opportunity to share what you would like to see improved. Results reported to the agency will not identify you or your responses in any way.
To locate your survey, search for a message titled “2022 OPM Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey,” in your e-mail inbox and follow the embedded link to the FEVS survey.
- If you have received the survey, but have not yet completed it, we strongly encourage you do so as soon as possible.
- If you have not received the survey, please contact the OPM FEVS Helpdesk.
Come on AMS, let your voice be heard and let’s get those surveys in! If you have already completed the survey, thank you very much for your participation in the 2022 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. The deadline for completing the survey is July 15, 2022.
LGBTQIA+ Pride Month Event: Lavender Scare
The AMS Civil Rights Office invites you to discussion on “The Lavender Scare” with guest speaker Melissa Brand. The Lavender Scare was a period in the 1950s when gay men and women were “purged” from the federal government because they were determined to be national security risks.
Guest Speaker: Melissa Brand
Today, Thursday, June 16, 2022
1pm ET
Click here for TEAMS or call in (audio only) +1 202-650-0123
Conference ID: 118 948 11#
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More Pride Month Events
On June 16, 2022, there will be a LGBTQIA+ film screening of "Freeheld.," a 2015 American drama film directed by Peter Sollett and written by Ron Nyswaner. It is based on the 2007 documentary short film of the same name about police officer Laurel Hester's fight against the Ocean County, New Jersey, Board of Chosen Freeholders to allow her pension benefits to be transferred to her domestic partner after being diagnosed with terminal cancer (Register via Swank Virtual Portal).
On June 21, 2022, at 1 p.m. ET, USDA, in conjunction with Equality USDA, will host a LGBTQIA+ Farmer’s roundtable discussion. This virtual event will feature four LGBTQIA+ farmers in conversation, speaking about their operations and experiences, followed by a facilitated conversation among the panelists, with time for audience questions. Urban agriculture and its importance to LGBTQI+ communities will be explored. See the attached flyer with information on how to join.
 What's Happening this Week: June 17, 2022
June 17 – Jazz Trotters: Come be entertained with music from vintage jazz to acoustic coffeehouse ballads of the 1990s to contemporary tunes, and everything in between!
June 17 – Get VegU-cated: Come learn how to grow, pick, prepare, and store different fruits and vegetables. This week’s class feature is onions. Visitors can receive a "VegU-cation" by attending short 10-minute classes in the VegU tent between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Check out our schedule to see what we are covering in 2022.
Upcoming Events
June 24 – Pollinator Festival: Visitors will be able to talk with pollinator experts, watch live bees, pick up pollinator-friendly plants and seeds, and learn more about what they can do in their own backyard to help pollinators.
Did you know you could...
Reserve a Spot for Your Employee Engagement Event at the USDA Farmers Market Did you know that you can reserve tables at the USDA Farmers Market for your program, division, team, or working group any Friday during the season? The market will be open Fridays from May 6, through October 28, and offers an array of food items. Timber Pizza, DMV Empanadas, Bun’d Up, Ruby Scoops and many others have returned for the season. There are new food vendors like El Piquin with authentic Mexican food and Arielle Oyster Company with freshly prepared seafood! You are welcome to bring picnic blankets, tables, chairs, and a lawn games! You can plan team building activities or just socialize. Contact Serena Baldwin at serena.baldwin@usda.gov for a list of available dates and to reserve the tables.
Maximum Telework June 16 and 17 for National Capital Region Employees
The Something in the Water (SITW) 2022 music festival will take place in the District of Columbia, starting Friday, June 17, 2022, and will continue through Sunday, June 19, 2022. Event setup began this past Monday, and parking restrictions and street closures have been implemented by MPD.
As a result of these events, USDA leadership is recommending employees working in the National Capital Region maintain 100% telework status tomorrow, June 16, and Friday, June 17, 2022.
If you are required to come into the office, motorists could encounter possible delays and may wish to consider alternative routes. The Metropolitan Police Department and the D.C. Department of Transportation also wishes to remind motorists to proceed with caution as increased pedestrian traffic can be anticipated.
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3rd Quarter Performance Conversations Due by June 30, 2022
Supervisors and employees must meet at least once every quarter to discuss progress of assignments, to provide feedback of observed performance and performance expectations, and to identify assignments and/or projects in the upcoming quarter and remainder of the performance year. Third Quarter conversations can be completed at any time during the quarter, but must be completed no later than June 30, 2022. There is no minimum time for the employee to perform under standards, or for the Rating Official to be in that role, before a Quarterly Conversation can occur. Once completed, the conversation is documented in the Enterprise Performance Management Application (ePMA). After the conversation has been documented in the system, ePMA will alert employees to acknowledge completion of the Quarterly Conversation in ePMA. The employee’s acknowledgment will complete the process for that quarter.
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COVID-19 Testing Order Rescinded for U.S. Entry
COVID-19 testing is no longer required for U.S. Entry as of June 12, 2022. The CDC order requiring persons to show a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding a flight to the United States, is rescinded, effective on June 12, 2022, at 12:01AM ET. This means that air passengers will not need to get tested and show a negative COVID-19 test result, nor show documentation of recovery from COVID-19, prior to boarding a flight to the United States, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship. Of note, CDC’s Order requiring proof of vaccination for noncitizen nonimmigrants to travel to the United States is still in effect. For more information, see Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Passengers.
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TSP Has a Mobile App with New Features
You can check your account balance, track fund performance, and make transaction requests all online, by using our new Virtual Agent, AVA, or by using the new TSP Mobile App. You can also sign and submit forms and documents, change your investment mix, scan rollover checks, and more.
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Detail Position: Agricultural Market Reporter, Deputy Director for Specialty Crops Market News
The Market News Division has a temporary detail opportunity for AMS employees who are looking to serve in a dynamic, fast-paced environment as a GS-13/14 Deputy Director for the Specialty Crop Program’s Market News division. In this position, you will provide oversight to a highly visible program. The Market News Division is responsible for collecting and disseminating price and volume information for fresh fruits and vegetables, ornamental and specialty crops such as pecans, honey, and tree nuts in both domestic and foreign markets. The markets reported are of national and/or international significance and represent critical market information needed for making marketing decisions. In this position you will assist the Division Director with planning, formulation, implementation, developing, directing and coordinating programs, policies, and procedures, may participate in meetings with industry groups and high-level officials. This detail opportunity is full-time beginning June 27.
Remote locations will be considered. If you are interested, please obtain your supervisor’s approval and email a copy of your resume, a brief statement of interest, and the completed supervisor approval to John Okoniewski (john.okoniewski@usda.gov) on or before 5:00 pm ET on June 22, 2022.
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HR Broadcast FY22 Quarter 3
Try out our FlipSnack version here!
It’s a more interactive and innovative way of viewing the HR Broadcast.
The Quarter 3 - 2022 Issue (PDF) of the HR Broadcast is also available at the following link
(click top left for table of contents if needed):
FY22 Quarter 3 HR Broadcast
We hope this issue provides you with useful information; if you have suggestions on future topics of interest, please feel free to contact our HR Broadcast Layout Editor, Christina Furnkranz, at Christina.S.Furnkranz@usda.gov.
We look forward to improving our Broadcast based on your feedback.
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Annual Reminder Use or Lose Annual Leave
With summer fast approaching, you are encouraged to take some time off from work to give yourself a much-needed break and rejuvenate your physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
For those of you in a use or lose annual leave category, please keep in mind unused annual leave that exceeds your maximum carryover (for most employees, 240 hours) will be forfeited at the end of the leave year, so please work with your supervisor to schedule and utilize any use or lose annual leave.
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Headquarters Main Cafeteria is Closing through mid July
The South Building cafeteria will be temporarily closed. This temporary closure is due to continued decreasing patronage, resulting in unsustainable business operations. The South Building cafeteria is scheduled to resume operations on Monday, July 11, 2022. Upon reopening, to increase revenue opportunities, the cafeteria will offer additional hot food and buffet options for customers.
There are other food options available:
- Claudia’s (South Building, sub-basement) is open from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- The Green Olive (South Building, sub-basement) is open from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- The other Ag Promenade venues are not open at this time. As more employees return to Headquarters, we expect more food options to open.
- Dunkin’ Sandwich Shop (Whitten basement) is open from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
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HR Guidance for June/July Holidays
This year our Juneteenth and July 4th holidays will be falling on the first Monday of each pay period and you may have some questions about the in-lieu-of holiday observance. We know how confusing this topic can be! For this reason, we are:
- Sharing the guidance received from the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM), USDA, which focuses on determining “in lieu of holidays” for employees. Please pay particular attention to Attachment 1, Frequently Asked Questions on In-Lieu of Holidays, and Attachment 2, Determining Your Holiday.
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Worklife and Wellness – June's Lunch & Learn Webinars
The APHIS Human Resources Division, Workplace Resolutions and Wellness Branch, in partnership with the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Rural Development (RD), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), will be offering the following courses during the month of June.
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Yoga and Meditation to Harmonize and Strengthen the Body, Mind and Energy - Wednesday, June 22, from Noon to 1:00 PM ET.
This yoga practice will boost the body’s metabolism and restore the healthy flow of energy throughout the body and mind. The intention will be to nurture the physical, mental, and emotional self through gentle yoga shapes and breathing techniques. All levels are welcome.
If you have any questions, please contact: Lisa M. Mason at (240) 267-9863 or lisam.mason@usda.gov
*These events are on the AMS Insight calendar.
BIG Celebrates Men’s Health Awareness
Join Blacks in Government (BIG) George Washington Carver Chapter (GWCC) for a discussion centered around men's health with Personal Trainer Les Garner. Garner will discuss tweaking diets for men, setting achievable health goals and getting educated about your health.
Today, June 16, 2022 | Noon ET
Event Link: BIG-GWCC MS Teams Channel
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*This event is on the AMS Insight calendar.
Effective Feedback: Enhancing Your Team’s Well-Being
Although many managers may find it daunting, giving feedback to employees is an incredibly powerful tool. When delivered appropriately, even if it’s not always positive, providing regular feedback enhances relationships with your employees and improves overall team morale and productivity. We’ll help you gain desirable outcomes and happy employees by exploring practical approaches to imparting thoughtful, effective, and frequent feedback.
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
1:00–2:00pm ET | Register Here*
*PLEASE NOTE: While registration is required to attend, it does not guarantee entry. We recommend joining early, as space is limited and access is granted on a first arrived, first admitted basis, regardless of how far in advance you register.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a voluntary and confidential employee benefit available to eligible federal employees at no cost.
24 HOURS A DAY
800-222-0364
TTY: 888-262-7848
foh4you.com
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*This event is on the AMS Insight calendar.
Supervisor Training
Are you looking for a development opportunity that will help you refine your supervisory and leadership approaches, meet your supervisory training requirements, and develop a peer network of supervisors and managers across USDA? If so, CTOD has two excellent programs for you!
Essential Supervisory Information Sessions (ESIS) is a great resource for supervisors to gain focused insight and training on a multitude of scheduled topics which are of general and timely concern to supervisors at large in convenient, 90-minute webinars.
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Recognizing & Rewarding Employees – June 23, 2022, 2:00pm – 4:00pm ET Sign-up/Enroll
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Managing from a Distance – July 12, 2022, 2:00pm – 4:00pm ET Sign-up/Enroll
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Increasing Employee Engagement – August 18, 2022, 2:00pm – 4:00pm ET Sign-up/Enroll
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Experienced Supervisor Applied Workshop is a 5-day workshop, designed to engage supervisors in activities, discussions, and peer learning to analyze, plan for, and practice addressing your supervisory challenges.
Upcoming workshop for FY22:
In-person Offerings: (May be converted to virtual offerings based on travel and gathering restrictions.
August 22-26, 2022, 8:00am - 5:00pm ET, Fort Collins, CO Sign-up/Enroll
If you have any questions, please contact B.J. Whetstine at william.whetstine@usda.gov or Leon White at leon.white@usda.gov.
*These events are on the AMS Insight calendar.
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