On Friday, December 3, Adrienne Collins (right), Program Manager, and Sarah Fong (left), Team Lead, had the opportunity to attend the announcement of cooperative agreements for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA) and Local Food for Schools Program (LFS) with the District of Columbia Department of Health and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. The event was held at a farm for Dreaming Out Loud at Kelly Miller School, which is a two-acre urban farm in Washington, D.C., with a production farm, youth garden, and community-raised beds. The District of Columbia, Department of Health and its subrecipients shared the impact this program will have on its underserved communities and local farmers. LFPA funds will be provided to Joyful Food Markets, operated by Martha’s Table, to procure fresh produce from BIPOC farmers through Dreaming Out Loud. They will distribute the produce at one of over 50 school-based markets in Wards 7 and 8. 

One of the core values for Commodity Procurement Program is collaboration. Through all these efforts, local farmers in the District of Columbia, will have an opportunity to build and expand on economic opportunities and serve underserved communities.

The Compliance, Safety and Security Division (CSSD) has been on a journey. Leadership has changed a few times in recent years. The Division moved from within a standalone Program to a staff office in the Office of the Administrator along with the Budget Division and Administrative Services Division; all three comprising the Administrative Management Staff. Across these moves, CSSD has been referred to by different names such as “MAP,” “Compliance & Analysis,” “Compliance”, or rarely as CSSD.

Beginning in the spring of 2022, CSSD embarked on a strategic planning process, assessing who we are, what we do, and how we can do it better. CSSD’s mission and vision have been refined by this process. And with a refined mission and vision, we sought to re-brand the Division to best represent our roles and responsibilities.

AMS is pleased to introduce CARS, the Compliance, Audit, Risk & Safety Division. “Compliance” represents our mission to develop a Compliance Management Program for AMS. “Audit” reflects our internal controls support, management reviews and internal audit capabilities. “Risk” denotes our mission to identify and mitigate risk within AMS through our areas of responsibility. “Safety” encompasses our responsibilities to develop robust Safety, Security and Emergency Management services for AMS.

Please be on the lookout for more details from CARS as we reach out with more proactive information and services. As always, please call on the CARS Division staff for any assistance.

The FY 2022 Unconscious Bias Training developed by OASCR introduces the concept of Unconscious Bias. Learners will gain knowledge about the brain science behind bias and learn more about why all humans hold bias. The video program will help learners understand the impact of bias on everyday interactions and experiences and will provide practical strategies for recognizing and interrupting it at work.

Course: Understanding and Interrupting Unconscious Bias (usda.gov)

The completion target date is January 18, 2023

One method to consider is a Watch Party using AgLearn App in Teams whereas employees can meet during staff meetings and complete training together. Supervisors should contact their respective AgLearn Leads to coordinate marking employees complete in AgLearn prior to this recommendation.

Help AMS reach our goal of 100% participation by January 18! 

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Suzette Wilson at Suzette.Wilson@usda.gov. For technical assistance, waivers, and reasonable accommodations please contact your Aglearn administrator.

Message from USDA Civil Rights 

The OASDCR Times is a quarterly chronicle of Civil Rights developments and stories of general interest. OASCR's mission is to provide leadership and direction for the fair and equitable treatment of all USDA customers and employees while ensuring the delivery of quality programs and enforcement of civil rights. Please take a few minutes to review their first quarter newsletter.

Photo: Ali Muhammad, AMS Civil Rights Deputy Director

The cross section of The AMS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) with the AMS Office of Civil Rights Affirmative Employment Program, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Special Emphasis Programs (OCR/AEP/EEO/SEP).

The FY 22-25 DEIA Strategic Plan outlines AMS commitment to the following goals:

• Attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce at all levels and locations of the organization.
• Cultivate an environment where all feel safe, valued, and respected.
• Creating the infrastructure to elevate and sustain diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within AMS.

Compatibly to the stated DEIA goals, the AMS Office of Civil Rights Affirmative Employment, Equal Employment Opportunity, Special Emphasis Program goals are similarly situated.

The AMS OCR, AEP, EEO, and SEP functions to help develop a diverse and talented workforce which addresses the unique concerns of the following individuals: African Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, persons and veterans with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, Hispanics, and women in achieving diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in employment activities in all AMS organizational components.

Special Emphasis Programs (SEPs)

Special Emphasis Programs (SEPs) are implemented and observed primarily to ensure that all employees, applicants for employment and stakeholders are provided an equal opportunity in all aspects of employment. These programs improve the workplace environment by promoting and fostering diversity in the workplace through awareness and educating employees and others to appreciate, value, understand, and celebrate social and cultural similarities and differences. 

The AEP/EEO/SEP maintains the following objectives in reaching its goal:

SEPs enhance the Equal Employment Opportunity Program as it relates to federal personnel policies, practices, and equal employment opportunity. The primary objectives of SEPs are: 

• Analyzing agency workforce data and identifying barriers in the areas of recruitment, hiring, promotions, career development, reasonable accommodation and retention affecting the full representation of targeted groups (i.e., minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities).
• Compiling, developing, and disseminating information and documents for managers, supervisors, and employees to provide knowledge and sensitivity in all facts or issues of accessibility and reasonable accommodation of individuals with disabilities.
• Developing and conducting programs such as training courses, workshops, job fairs, conferences, and commemorative observances to provide awareness, sensitivity and understanding of the special issues affecting employment of the protected groups.

As of December 28, USDA has raised over $1 Million for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) non-profits and AMS has been a strong contributor!

We are now in the last two weeks of the annual campaign. If you have not already done so, please consider a one-time or recurring donation. A $5 dollars can provide over 10 meals to those in need, support non-profit operations, and so much more.

Show your support and inspire others: Please consider adding a donation badge to your email signature. Badges such as “I gave” or specific to a cause can be found at https://cfcnca.givecfc.org/badges

The Cause of the Week for the week of Jan 2 is: Medical Research - The well-being of people in all corners of the world relies upon the dedicated work of laboratories and researchers, often funded by non-profit organizations and donations by individuals. Many CFC charities support medical research to help find cures for rare diseases and chronic conditions and prepare for the next pandemic. These charities act as liaisons between labs, scientists, governments, and communities – identifying new viruses, helping patients, funding trials, publishing results, and distributing drugs so the public can have equitable access to the latest healthcare options. In fact, due to this research today there are over 17 million cancer survivors, the most in history.  

https://givecfc.org/cause-week-medical-research

The Cause of the Week for the week of Jan 9 is: The Final Five Challenge – Thank you for your contributions.  You are invited to see the impact via the different opportunities in this link - https://givecfc.org/final-5-challenge

Final  AMS CFC Opportunity: Share your CFC Story

Many of us have been directly impacted by CFC non-profits at some point in our lives. The AMS CFC team invites you to submit a short story on how you or your family and friends were touched by a CFC charity. Please send your stories, and pictures or illustrations, to Rebecca.jaworsk@usda.gov or your Program’s CFC Key worker by COB tomorrow, Jan 6. Please have “AMS CFC Story Time” in the email subject line and indicate if you would like to submit your story anonymously or publicly. We will compile and publish these stories in the Jan 12, Voice. Help us close out this season of giving with your stories!

AMS CFC Team: Danielle Barber, Tabitha Bartley, Alex Cordova, Jacqueline Fitzgerald, Valerie Frances, Spenser King, Reedema Rock, Sara Lutton and Kimm Syndor.

We are looking for photos of AMS employees in action where they work and pictures of the commodities they work with. Our goal is to create an engaging environment for everyone to participate in that showcases the diversity of jobs in AMS. So far, we have gotten some great photos, so keep them coming! See what we have added so far: AMS in Action

Photo: Lisa Hendershott, Resident Duck Grader
AMS, LPP Agricultural Commodity Grader (Poultry)
Milford, IN

Submission Guidelines:

• Submit photos to amsinsight@usda.gov with your name, title and program.
• Photo must be at least 1MB.
• No group selfies.
• Images of employees in action--for example, climbing up a grain elevator, using a microscope or inspecting warehouse commodities.

The following employees have exhausted all of their available leave and are approved as a recipients under the Leave Transfer Program:

• Kaitlynn Aroz, a Dispatcher with Specialty Crops Program, in Fresno, CA, due to a serious medical condition.
• Lacy Stephens, an Agriculture Marketing Specialist with Transportation and Marketing in Kansas City, MO, due to a serious medical condition.

You may donate either annual or restored annual leave to these or other eligible employees through WebTA or by completing the AD-1043 form. The Human Resources Division (HRD) prefers electronic donations; however, they will accept AD-1043 forms. 

You can find instructions to donate leave electronically through WebTA here.  AD-1043 forms can either be faxed or mailed (not both): USDA APHIS MRPBS HRD Attn: LCT 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 410 Minneapolis, MN 55401-2329 FAX: 612-336-3544.

Looking to fill vacancies at your agency? Seeking new talent that will bring vitality and diversity to your team? 

We are excited to announce that we have just published the 2023 Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) talent database and it is full of new qualified candidates available to you now! Check out our fact sheet to learn more about the 2023 students and recent graduates with disabilities seeking federal internships and permanent positions.

Go to WRP.gov and click Employers Register Now to start searching for talent today!

Once you submit your WRP employer account registration with your federal email, you will receive an email with instructions on how to create a Login.gov account and sign in. For assistance and step-by-step instructions, please download the How to Create a Login.gov Account to Sign in to WRP User Guide.

Just to remind you, the WRP connects federal agencies nationwide with highly qualified college students, graduate students, and recent graduates with disabilities looking for internships or permanent jobs. All WRP candidates are eligible for the Schedule A hiring authority, which is an expedited hiring process. For many of these individuals, WRP serves as a first step to a long-term federal career. In this way, it’s a key tool to assist agencies in responding to President Biden’s Executive Order 14035, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce. 

Help us spread the word by sharing this news with your federal colleagues! If you have any questions about the WRP or trouble signing in, please contact WRP staff at wrp@dol.gov. We look forward to introducing you to our new candidates this year.

Have you heard about the Microsoft Office “Accessibility Check” tool? It’s a valuable, important function that can improve every USDA employee's ability to meet Section 508 Accessibility requirements. Section 508 applies to all federal agencies that develop, procure, maintain, or use information and communications technology (ICT). Agencies are required to provide employees and members of the public with disabilities comparable access to those without disabilities. 

USDA is encouraging all employees to follow CDC guidance and Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters | CDC that protect against the new most prevalent variants. USDA employees are eligible for up to 4 hours of administrative leave to receive the booster, and to assist family members to receive it. Employees may also receive up to 2 days of administrative leave if there are any adverse effects from the vaccine. It is currently available free of charge through local health departments, clinics and many pharmacies:

• to everyone over 5 years of age who completed the primary vaccine series, and;
• for those at least 2 months past their previous dose or 3 months past a COVID infection.

Learn More

Mentoring is a learning relationship generally focused on long term career development, and both Mentors and Mentees benefit from the partnership. Mentees typically lead the meetings, bringing career questions to the Mentor and requesting advice. The Mentor reflects on their own career and accomplishments, what worked and what didn’t, and shares those observations with the Mentee. Both the Mentor and the Mentee benefit by meeting new Agency employees and understanding how the others’ work fits into the broader mission.

Ready to become an AMS Mentor or Mentee? CLICK HERE

AMS Mentoring Application Period Open Through January 16!

We are especially in need of Mentor applicants. If you have participated as a Mentee in the past, or are otherwise looking to volunteer your time and career advice, please consider submitting a Mentor application through the link above. Mentors may also accept multiple Mentees if they have the time and availability to do so.

Mentees are encouraged to seek their own Mentors, and if the potential Mentor agrees to the partnership partnership, both employees should jointly submit their applications using the link above to register with the program.

Visit the AMS Mentoring SharePoint Site to learn more about the program, and send any questions to mentoring@usda.gov.  

The APHIS Center for Training and Organization Development offers development opportunities that address our hybrid workforce and refine supervisory and leadership approaches. These courses can also help you develop a peer network of supervisors and managers across USDA. Click the links below to learn more and sign up.

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 in convenient two-hour webinars.

1. Conducting Difficult Conversations with Conduct & Performance: January 9, 2023; 2:00pm – 4:00pm ET Sign-up/Enroll
2. Time Management: February 7, 2023 2:00pm – 4:00pm ET Sign-up/Enroll​
3. Increasing Employee Engagement: March 14, 2023; 2:00pm – 4:00pm ET Sign-up/Enroll

The 5-day Experienced Supervisor Applied Workshop engages supervisors in activities, discussions and peer learning to analyze, plan for and practice addressing your supervisory challenges. Whether you choose the virtual or in-person option, you will learn to mentor employees, improve employee performance and productivity, conduct employee performance appraisals and identify and assist employees with unacceptable performance.

The workshop immerses supervisors in experiential learning and practical application of content through case studies and other interactive methods. Participants will use 360 Assessment feedback to identify competencies and gain self-awareness to improve management effectiveness. Full attendance and active participation in this workshop fully satisfies USDA’s requirement for ongoing supervisory training every 3 years.