USDA Launches New Online Civil Rights Tool for USDA Customers

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the launch of a new online portal to manage civil rights discrimination complaints more efficiently and transparently. The USDA Civil Rights Management System (CRMS) Program Discrimination Complaint electronic submission portal will streamline the filing of complaints by USDA customers who believe they have experienced discrimination when they apply for USDA services or participate in USDA programs or USDA-funded programs. The portal is administered by USDA's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR).

"The online portal is part of our efforts to better serve USDA customers and ensure Department-wide efficient, fair, consistent, and equitable application of civil rights," said Dr. Penny Brown Reynolds, USDA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.

It is a violation of the law to discriminate against members of the public based on the following: race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, and political beliefs. Not all bases apply to all USDA programs. The program complaint portal is for USDA customers who believe they have experienced discrimination in relation to USDA services, programs, or USDA-funded programs.

At the direction of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, USDA commenced a top-to-bottom review of the OASCR, and has worked to rebuild the transparency, accountability, and integrity of operations and programs. The new program complaints portal is one result of this effort.

The portal allows USDA customers to submit and track complaints throughout their lifecycle, as well check the status of previously submitted USDA program discrimination complaints. The system is available in both English and Spanish. The online portal complements other existing methods of submitting complaints including email, mail, and fax which USDA customers will continue to be able to use.

Visit www.usda.gov/oascr/program-complaints to create and manage an account through a secure username and password system (login.gov). For questions or assistance, contact 866-632-9992 or [email protected]. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may use the Telecommunication Relay Service at 711 or 800-845-6136 for Spanish translation services.

OASCR is tasked with providing overall leadership, coordination, and direction for the Department's civil rights initiatives, including program delivery, compliance, and equal employment opportunity. Between Fiscal Years 2019 and 2023, OASCR received and manually processed a total of eight hundred five (805) program complaints and reduced the average inventory by 86%. In addition, under Dr. Brown Reynolds' leadership, OASCR has completely transformed the Program Complaints process resulting in an average processing time of 225 days or less an overall 43% reduction in processing time. OASCR also offers a Civil Rights mobile application designed to provide easy access to civil rights news, information, and resources for all USDA employees and program customers.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America's food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.