United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has abruptly ended its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, while Agriculture Canada remains committed to Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA).
On February 13, newly appointed U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins issued a memorandum to USDA staff, announcing the department’s return to its “core mission” of boosting American agriculture and safeguarding the nation’s food supply.
“Realign the department’s focus towards its original objectives of maximizing and promoting American agriculture, ensuring a safe, nutritious, and secure food supply, enhancing rural prosperity, and protecting our National Forests,” said Brooke’s memo.
Brooke said the USDA is ending all DEI programming and will now shift its focus on merit-based employment and colour-blind policies.
Media attention in the United States has centred on contract cancellations and reported job losses due to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Agricultural publication DTN said thousands of USDA employees were dismissed, particularly those still within their probationary periods.
The memo claims the previous administration strayed from the USDA’s primary mandate of ensuring Americans have a secure food supply.
Meanwhile, Ag Canada continues to embed equity and diversity throughout its operations.
The department’s GBA policy requires scientists seeking research grants to consider gender and diversity impacts.
Officials also gather voluntary data to identify the number of participants from marginalized or racialized groups, including 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
Agriculture Canada’s commitment to DEI is evident in its workforce.
At the Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, more than half of the scientists are women or people of colour.
The Manitoba Crop Alliance, which represents several crops in the province, employs 11 staff, eight are women.
The University of Saskatchewan’s Agriculture graduate programs are also diverse, with 60% of graduate students coming from other countries, and many speak languages such as Mandarin, Bengali, or Punjabi.
Government policies and these shifting demographics indicate Canada’s agriculture sector is championing inclusion, even as the USDA dismantles its DEI programs.
Agriculture Canada’s focus on GBA shows no sign of ending, even as USDA officials argue DEI detracts from core mandates of a secure food supply.
