Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity

Minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and other groups of individuals who have not fully participated in or benefited from NRCS programs and services are provided equal access and equal opportunity under different nondiscrimination statutory provisions. All persons must be adequately informed of NRCS equal opportunity policy and encouraged to participate in all NRCS programs and activities.
It is the policy of NRCS that all federally assisted and federally conducted programs will be administered in accordance with requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1975, the Equal Opportunity Act, Executive Orders, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regulations enforcing nondiscrimination requirements, and Departmental rules and regulations. Compliance ensures access in all aspects of delivery of program benefits and service to the public without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age,  disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program.  (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)  Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, Large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's Target Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call 800-795-3272 (voice) or 202-720-6382 (TDD).  USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.