    [Senate Hearing 117-511]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                           S. Hrg. 117-511

                     NOMINATION OF CHAVONDA J. JACOBS-YOUNG
                      TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
                    FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND ECONOMICS,
                       USDA AND MARGO SCHLANGER TO BE AN
                    ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, USDA

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   BEFORE THE

                           COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE,
                            NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

                              UNITED STATES SENATE

                        ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 FIRST SESSION

                                   __________

                               November 17, 2021

                                   __________

                           Printed for the use of the
               Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                      Available on http://www.govinfo.gov/

                                  __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    47-199 PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2023

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

               COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

                     DEBBIE STABENOW, Michigan, Chairwoman
    PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont            JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
    SHERROD BROWN, Ohio                  MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky
    AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota             JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota
    MICHAEL F. BENNET, Colorado          JONI ERNST, Iowa
    KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York      CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi
    TINA SMITH, Minnesota                ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas
    RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois          TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama
    CORY BOOKER, New Jersey              CHARLES GRASSLEY, Iowa
    BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico            JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
    RAPHAEL WARNOCK, Georgia             DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
                                         MIKE BRAUN, Indiana

                   Joseph A. Shultz, Majority Staff Director
                   Mary Beth Schultz, Majority Chief Counsel
                        Jessica L. Williams, Chief Clerk
                   Fitzhugh Elder IV, Minority Staff Director
                     Fred J. Clark, Minority Chief Counsel

                               C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------

                          Wednesday, November 17, 2021

                                                                       Page

    Hearing:

    Nomination of Chavonda J. Jacobs-Young to be Under Secretary of
      Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics, USDA and
      Margo Schlanger to be an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture,
      USDA...........................................................     1

                                  ----------

                        STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY SENATORS

    Stabenow, Hon. Debbie, U.S. Senator from the State of Michigan...     1
    Boozman, Hon. John, U.S. Senator from the State of Arkansas......     2

                                   WITNESSES

    Jacobs-Young, Chavonda J., Ph.D., to be Under Secretary of
      Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics, USDA.......     5
    Schlanger, Margo, to be an Assistant Secretary of Agriculture,
      USDA...........................................................     6
                                  ----------

                                    APPENDIX

    Prepared Statements:
        Jacobs-Young, Chavonda J., Ph.D..............................    24
        Schlanger, Margo.............................................    26

    Document(s) Submitted for the Record:
    Stabenow, Hon. Debbie:
        National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research, letter
          of support.................................................    30
        Civil Rights Organizations, letters of support...............    37
        The Leadership Conference, letter of support.................    39
    Jacobs-Young, Chavonda J., Ph.D.:
        Committee questionnaire, Office of Government Ethics
          Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure
          Report and 5-day letter filed by Jacobs-Young, Chavonda J..    41
    Schlanger, Margo:
        Committee questionnaire, Office of Government Ethics
          Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure
          Report and 5-day letter filed by Schlanger, Margo..........    73

    Question and Answer:
    Jacobs-Young, Chavonda J., Ph.D.:
        Written response to questions from Hon. Debbie Stabenow......   120
        Written response to questions from Hon. John Boozman.........   122
        Written response to questions from Hon. Amy Klobuchar........   126
        Written response to questions from Hon. Kirsten E. Gillibrand   126
        Written response to questions from Hon. Tina Smith...........   127
        Written response to questions from Hon. Cory Booker..........   129
        Written response to questions from Hon. John Hoeven..........   129
        Written response to questions from Hon. Joni Ernst...........   132
        Written response to questions from Hon. Roger Marshall.......   134
        Written response to questions from Hon. Charles Grassley.....   135
        Written response to questions from Hon. Deb Fischer..........   136
    Schlanger, Margo:
        Written response to questions from Hon. Debbie Stabenow......   138
        Written response to questions from Hon. John Boozman.........   139
        Written response to questions from Hon. Amy Klobuchar........   142
        Written response to questions from Hon. Cory Booker..........   142
        Written response to questions from Hon. Roger Marshall.......   142

        NOMINATION OF CHAVONDA J. JACOBS-YOUNG TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF
      AGRICULTURE FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND ECONOMICS, USDA AND MARGO
          SCHLANGER TO BE AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, USDA

                                  ----------

                          WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2021

                                           U.S. Senate,
             Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry,
                                                        Washington, DC.
        The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:19 a.m., via
    Webex and in room 301, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon.
    Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Committee, presiding.
        Present or submitting a statement: Senators Stabenow,
    Brown, Klobuchar, Bennet, Gillibrand, Smith, Booker, Warnock,
    Boozman, Hoeven, Ernst, Marshall, Tuberville, Grassley, Thune,
    Fischer, and Braun.

    STATEMENT OF HON. DEBBIE STABENOW, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE
        OF MICHIGAN, CHAIRWOMAN, U.S. COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE,
                        NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

        Chairwoman Stabenow. Good morning. I call this hearing of
    the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
    Forestry to order, and we are so pleased today to be here to
    consider the nominations of Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young for Under
    Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, and Margo
    Schlanger for Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S.
    Department of Agriculture. Welcome to both of you.
        The roles they have been nominated to fill are fundamental
    to supporting farmers and ranchers and fostering trust in the
    Department. American farmers and ranchers have had a
    competitive advantage on the world stage, thanks in no small
    part to the quality of our agricultural research sector. In
    fact, every dollar invested in agriculture research returns
    over $17 to our economy.
        If confirmed as Under Secretary of Research, Education, and
    Economics, Dr. Jacobs-Young would oversee USDA's major research
    agencies, including the Office of the Chief Scientist, the
    Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the National Institute of
    Food and Agriculture, the Economic Research Service, and the
    National Agricultural Statistics Service.
        Whether it is Michigan State University--Go Green--finding
    ways to increase cherry yields, or the University of Arkansas
    optimizing water use in rice production, agricultural research,
    education, and extension is fundamental to ensuring an abundant
    food supply and building resiliency in the agriculture system.
        The need for research does not stop there. Farmers rely on
    USDA economics and statistics for insights into markets, costs
    and trade, to make informed decisions about their business
    operations. Congressional and USDA leaders use data to better
    support farmers and ranchers who grow different products in
    different parts of the country.
        Sadly, over the past few years, USDA's research agencies
    have had high employee vacancy rates, struggle to find the
    researchers they need with scientific expertise in agricultural
    sciences. If confirmed, Dr. Jacobs-Young will need to rebuild a
    diverse work force and talent pool.
        As a long-time leader at the USDA, Dr. Jacobs-Young is
    perfectly situated for the role of leading research, education,
    and economics. She is well respected by her peers, the academic
    community, and the agricultural industry.
        Just as there is work to be done within USDA's research
    programs, there is much to be done within the Office of Civil
    Rights as well. It is no secret that the USDA has had a
    troubled history when it comes to civil rights. As the arbiter
    of equal opportunity across the Department, the Assistant
    Secretary for Civil Rights plays a critical role in making good
    on Secretary Vilsack's promise to build a culture of inclusion
    for USDA staff and the public that the USDA serves.
        For farmers and communities historically left out of the
    USDA's work, improving equity, accountability, and access in
    USDA employment and USDA programs will be a game-changer.
        Diversity broadens our horizons of what is possible, and
    more participants contributing to our farm economy builds our
    economic strength. If confirmed as Assistant Secretary for
    Civil Rights, Ms. Schlanger is well suited to lead these
    efforts. She is a leading authority on civil rights issues. She
    is a strong advocate for protecting the civil rights of
    employees and customers within Federal agencies. She is also
    experienced as a top civil rights official in the Obama
    Administration, and has practical experience implementing civil
    rights protections.
        Thank you to Dr. Jacobs-Young and Ms. Schlanger for joining
    us today. I look forward to hearing your visions for the
    Department in your respective mission areas, if confirmed.
        I would note that you both have received letters of support
    from multiple agencies, and I ask unanimous consent that these
    letters be entered into the record. Without objection, so
    ordered.

        [The letters can be found on pages 30-40 in the appendix.]

        Chairwoman Stabenow. With that I will turn to my colleague
    and Ranking Member, Senator Boozman, for any opening comments
    that he would like to make.

     STATEMENT OF HON. SENATOR JOHN BOOZMAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE
                           STATE OF ARKANSAS

        Senator Boozman. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I am pleased
    to welcome Chavonda Jacobs-Young, the President's nominee for
    Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, and Ms.
    Margo Schlanger, nominated to be the Department of
    Agriculture's Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young has already had a long and storied career
    in the Department of Agriculture, serving in various leadership
    roles, including Administrator of the Agricultural Research
    Service, Acting Director of the National Institute of Food and
    Agriculture, and she has even served in an acting capacity
    twice for the position in which she is nominated.
        She is a proud alum of a distinguished land-grant
    institution, North Carolina State University, where she earned
    her baccalaureate, master's, and Ph.D. She began her career as
    an assistant professor at University of Washington before
    moving to Washington, DC, to become a national program leader
    at the Agricultural Research Service. She has served American
    agriculture very well in her career, and I am pleased she is
    willing to continue her service in this role.
        The Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area
    plays a vital role in spearheading the Nation's agricultural
    research enterprise through the National Institute of Food and
    Agriculture. It is the Federal leg of the three-legged stool
    that funds our land- grant universities which support American
    farmers, ranchers, and consumers through county-level
    cooperative extension services, regional and State experiment
    stations, and first-rate academics.
        It leads the Department of Agriculture's chief scientific
    agency, the Agricultural Research Service, and the Economic
    Research Service. Finally, it houses the National Agricultural
    Statistics Service, the hardworking, dedicated staff tasked
    with the challenging job of documenting the successes of
    American agriculture through various surveys and the census of
    agriculture. That is a lot.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young, you have been asked to lead one of the
    most important and foundational mission areas of the
    Department. I am confident that you have the experience and
    knowledge to lead it well. Congratulations on your nomination,
    and I look forward to your comments today.
        Ms. Margo Schlanger has an equally long and distinguished
    career in public service, specifically in the field of civil
    rights. She has held positions at the Department of Homeland
    Security and the Department of Justice. She has taught at
    Harvard Law School, Washington University in St. Louis, the
    University of California, and in her current post at the
    University of Michigan School of Law. She served as a law clerk
    for the late Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Ruth
    Bader Ginsburg.
        The position of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights leads
    the Department of Agriculture's civil rights programs,
    including matters related to program delivery, compliance, and
    equal employment opportunity. The Assistant Secretary is
    responsible for ensuring the fair and equitable treatment of
    both customers and employees.
        Professor, you are taking on a challenging office that
    handles very sensitive issues. Numerous Office of Inspector
    General and Government Accountability Office reports outline
    ongoing challenges at the Department that need to be addressed.
    If you are fortunate enough to be confirmed, you will need to
    focus on how USDA handles civil rights cases or claims
    efficiently and effectively. In addition, I challenge you to
    give measured thought about how civil rights are woven into the
    fabric of all that the Department does prospectively, and to
    work to ensure that no USDA program or employee or contractor
    acts in a discriminatory manner.
        Further, what is important is that when USDA develops
    programs to address civil rights that it does so in a manner
    that ensures transparency and predictability. This has been a
    problem, as the Administration's attempts in the American
    Rescue Plan to provide debt relief for certain classes of
    farmers is now caught up in the courts as a result of numerous
    lawsuits. Ham-handed efforts such as these help no one.
        Ms. Schlanger, congratulations on your nomination and thank
    you for your willingness to serve the country once again. I
    also look forward to your comments.
        With that I yield back, Madam Chair.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much, and I would now
    like to officially welcome you and officially introduce each of
    you.
        Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young has held leadership roles at
    multiple research agencies at USDA, including Director of the
    Office of the Chief Scientist and Acting Director for the
    National Institute of Food and Agriculture. She has also served
    as an advisor to the Obama Administration in a variety of
    agricultural scientific activities while at the White House
    Office of Science and Technology Policy. If confirmed, Dr.
    Jacobs-Young will be the first woman of color to serve as Under
    Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, which is the
    Department's highest scientific post.
        This is just one of many impressive firsts for Dr. Jacobs-
    Young. She was the first African American woman in the country
    to receive a Ph.D. in wood and paper science, and the first
    woman of color to serve as the administrator for the
    Agricultural Research Service.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young is a native of Augusta, Georgia. She
    received her BS, MS, and Ph.D. from North Carolina State
    University, where she was also a three-time ACC track champion.
    That is very impressive.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young has dedicated her career to public
    service. Her commitment to science, research, and education in
    service to the American people should be an inspiration to the
    next generation of students, scientists, and leaders in the
    research space. If confirmed, she will be tasked with
    protecting scientific integrity and helping USDA build a
    diverse and resilient scientific work force.
        Margo Schlanger, welcome to the Committee, officially, as
    well. Margo Schlanger is a leading authority on civil rights
    issues. She is currently the Wade H. and Dores M. McCree
    Collegiate Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law
    School--Go Blue--and she founded and directs the Civil Rights
    Litigation Clearinghouse, a national repository of information
    about large-scale civil rights cases. She is the author of
    dozens of law review and other scholarly articles.
        Ms. Schlanger was appointed by President Obama in 2010 and
    2011, to serve as Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
    at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As the Head of
    Civil Rights and Civil Liberties for DHS, she was the
    Secretary's lead advisor on civil rights and civil liberties
    issues. If confirmed, Ms. Schlanger brings valuable practical
    experience in implementing procedural solutions for agency
    oversight and enforcement of civil rights protections.
        A graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School, Ms.
    Schlanger clerked for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for her first
    two terms on the U.S. Supreme Court.
        I would now like to ask both of you to rise, and we need to
    ask a couple of questions.
        Do you swear or affirm that the testimony you are about
    provide is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
    truth, so help you God?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. I do.
        Ms. Schlanger. I do.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you. Second, do you agree that,
    if confirmed, you will appear before any duly constituted
    committee of Congress if asked to appear?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. I do.
        Ms. Schlanger. I do.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much.
        Your testimony will be made part of the record in its
    entirety, and you may proceed as you so desire. We will start
    with Dr. Jacobs-Young for five minutes of testimony, followed
    by Ms. Schlanger. Welcome again.

      STATEMENT OF CHAVONDA J. JACOBS-YOUNG, PH.D., NOMINEE TO BE
      UNDER SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND
                            ECONOMICS, USDA

        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member
    Boozman, and members of this Committee, thank you for the
    opportunity to appear before you today in consideration of my
    nomination. I have served the American people for two decades
    at the United States Department of Agriculture. It is now my
    honor to be nominated by President Biden to lead the Research,
    Education, and Economics mission area as Under Secretary. If
    confirmed, I look forward to supporting Secretary Vilsack to
    meet the high-priority challenges before us.
        I want to thank my husband, Arland Young, and my children,
    Autumn and Arland Junior, for their unwavering support over the
    years as I dedicated myself to public service and the mission
    of USDA.
        Most would say this little girl, with her early start in a
    place called the ``Bottom'' in Augusta, Georgia, is an unlikely
    candidate to be here before you today. My mom, Clide Coppin,
    was a first-generation college graduate of the Medical College
    of Georgia and a divorced single parent. She taught me, through
    demonstration and elevated expectations, the value of
    education, persistence, and hard work on improving my quality
    of life. She successfully broke the cycle of poverty and
    ensured that my sisters and I were all college graduates.
        My passion for science and fascination with understanding
    how things work have been constants in my life. From receiving
    my first chemistry set in elementary school, to running my own
    laboratory as a faculty member at the University of Washington,
    and to leading the world's finest agricultural research
    institution, seeking solutions to challenges is in my blood.
        To get here I have had to blaze several new trails. I am a
    lot of ``firsts'': first African American Ph.D. in the country
    in my field, first African American faculty member in my
    department at the University of Washington, and now the first
    female and first African American Administrator of the
    Agricultural Research Service.
        Being many ``firsts'' has taught me humility as well as
    given me strength and confidence. While being the first has
    been defining thus far, it is more important to me now that I
    am not the last. That is why I have a personal commitment to
    paying it forward and paving the way for others.
        Over the course of my career, as I have successfully led
    efforts both nationally and globally, I hope I have expanded
    the perception of what an agricultural scientist looks like. I
    am thankful for this opportunity.
        I have had the best experience working at USDA. I have
    learned the power of applying collaboration and innovation to
    pressing agricultural challenges and how to focus in and
    deliver impactful scientific solutions. The United States is
    blessed with one of the safest, most abundant, and diverse food
    supplies in the world. Science and innovation have been key to
    making it so.
        If confirmed as REE Under Secretary, I will bring to the
    role considerable agricultural research expertise and
    leadership experience, as well as an unquenchable enthusiasm
    for the scientific endeavor, which I have had since my mom
    bought me that first chemistry set. I will bring my proven
    background as an innovator and creative problem-solver. Most
    exciting to me, I will bring my commitment to inspire, mentor,
    and develop the next generation of agricultural professionals.
        Thank you for having me here today. I am looking forward to
    our discussion.

        [The prepared statement of Dr. Jacobs-Young can be found on
    page 24 in the appendix.]

        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you so much. Ms. Schlanger,
    welcome.

       STATEMENT OF MARGO SCHLANGER, NOMINEE TO BE AN ASSISTANT
                     SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, USDA

        Ms. Schlanger. Thank you so much, Chairwoman Stabenow,
    Ranking Member Boozman, and members of the Committee. I am
    honored to be with you today and am grateful and humbled by
    President Biden's nomination of me to serve as Assistant
    Secretary for Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of
    Agriculture. I am grateful, too, for Secretary Vilsack's
    support.
        I come before you buoyed by abundant love and support from
    my family. With me is my husband, Sam Bagenstos. Sam and I met
    as young civil rights lawyers at the Department of Justice and
    I have relied on his wisdom and encouragement ever since.
    Watching remotely, I think, are our two amazing children, Harry
    and Leila, who are seniors in college. I lean, as well, on the
    support and love of my father, sister, and two brothers. One of
    my brothers has been especially excited by the possibility that
    I might work at the Department of Agriculture because of nearly
    10 years that he spent as a vegetable farmer, an experience I
    learned a great deal from as well, vicariously.
        I wish to honor, as well, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, for whom I
    clerked and whose memory is a blessing. I learned more than I
    can say from Justice Ginsburg.
        Civil rights have been the core of my professional life
    since law school, and what I mean by that is that I have
    focused my work on expanding equality and fairness. My whole
    career has been about building tools and processes within
    complex organizations to help them respect civil rights. If I
    am privileged to be confirmed, I would be excited to bring my
    experience to USDA.
        I have learned many relevant lessons from my past efforts
    as a civil rights lawyer and as a professor, as the head of a
    different Federal cabinet department's civil rights office and
    as a court-appointed independent monitor in a civil rights
    statewide case.
        Among those lessons affected individuals have enormous
    insight into the problems they face and the solutions they
    need. Providing them a route to share their experience and
    taking their input seriously is necessary for solving those
    problems. Change requires will and collaborative problem
    solving, and I am committed to that. Finally, transparency and
    information sharing are powerful tools.
        If confirmed, I will work to use those lessons to address a
    number of urgent priorities. The first one is addressing
    distrust. I understand that distrust exists toward USDA's Civil
    Rights Office among communities and individuals who have been
    excluded from access to USDA programs. I believe that those
    affected individuals and communities have wisdom to share, and
    I look forward to spending a lot of time listening to them and
    to building trust by being responsive to what I learn.
        Second priority is addressing the criticisms of the
    programmatic complaint program. I believe that this process,
    this complaint process, must be open and easy to access. It
    must be fair and competent and able to accurately assess
    complaints. It must be speedy enough to actually solve
    violations when they are found. Where violations are not found,
    speed is necessary, too, to enable the agency and the
    complainant to move on. The complaint process must offer
    effective remediation.
        Third, a priority of helping to build a civil rights
    culture. Secretary Vilsack has committed to build a culture
    that supports and reinforces civil rights at USDA. That means
    assessing the hundreds of programs the Department runs and
    thinking about barriers to access, and it means embedding civil
    rights in the Department's important decisions.
        Secretary Vilsack has pledged to eliminate discrimination
    at USDA, and he has promised a system of rigorous reporting,
    accountability, and oversight in all of the Department's
    efforts. He has said this is a top priority. I agree that there
    is no place at USDA for discrimination. We need both backward-
    and forward-looking action, to repair past mistakes and to
    ensure that there are no new ones.
        In 1864, President Lincoln called USDA, the Department he
    had founded, ``The People's Department,'' and that should not
    merely be an aspiration. USDA can and should be a Department
    for all people, removing barriers to access and committing to
    equality and fairness in all its activities. I am honored to be
    considered to play a role in this mission.
        I look forward to your questions, and if I am confirmed, to
    working with you in the future.

        [The prepared statement of Ms. Schlanger can be found on
    page 26 in the appendix.]

        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much to both of you,
    and so we will begin five-minute rounds now in questioning.
    First I would start with Dr. Jacobs-Young.
        The most pressing issue in agriculture right now are the
    incredible weather swings and the threats posed by the climate
    crisis. Farmers want to be part of the solution, and certainly
    have already been part in terms of conservation practices, and
    they are eager to do more. Agriculture research plays an
    important part in giving them the critical tools to mitigate
    and adapt to the extreme changes in our climate.
        Can you please describe your vision for USDA's research
    enterprise in addressing these threats and possible solutions?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Senator Stabenow, thank you for your
    question.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. I think we may need, just to make sure
    your volume is on. Is your mic on?
        Take two. Oh great. All right.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Thank you for your question. USDA has
    been a leader in climate science. I am very proud of the long-
    term infrastructure we have inside of USDA, our 18 LTAR sites
    across the country, our Long-Term Agroecosystem Research
    network sites, where we invite the farmers and producers in to
    be a part of the development process for climate-smart
    practices, to be able to test those climate-smart practices to
    de-risk some of those practices for them. More importantly, to
    increase adoption of the technologies.
        We are also coupled with the capacity of the land-grant
    university system, and I think together we bring decades of
    expertise to this topic. We have seen that our severe weather
    events are becoming more frequent, more extreme. Innovation and
    technology have been the answer to our biggest challenges in
    the past, and I believe that the REE agencies and the land-
    grant universities together are positioned to be able to
    support the priorities of the Congress and of the
    Administration, and if confirmed, I look forward to continuing
    our impactful work that we have underway inside of USDA and
    working with our land-grant partners.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you.
        Professor Schlanger, the USDA, as you know, has a long
    history of discrimination, unfortunately, in both delivery of
    programs and among employees of the Department. In recognition
    of the issues--longstanding issues in the Department--how will
    you work to address discrimination, moving forward?
        Ms. Schlanger. Thank you for the question, Madam
    Chairwoman. I think that we have to be relentless about a dual
    focus, one that is remedial and one that is forward-looking.
    What I mean by that--and that is true for both programmatic and
    employment discrimination, and I look forward, if confirmed, to
    bringing that perspective to the Office of Civil Rights.
        What I mean by that is that there has to be a backward-
    looking, a working, backward-looking process, one that can take
    complaints, address them fairly, efficiently, and effectively,
    solve the problems that the complainants bring forward, offer
    them a solution, or if there turns out to not be a
    discriminatory problem, tell them that so that they and the
    agency can move on. That is a necessary, backward-looking
    component of the program.
        In addition, both that set of inputs and many other sets of
    inputs have to inform a forward-looking solution that examines
    programs and makes sure that they are set up to succeed with
    respect to inclusion as well as all the other things that they
    are trying to accomplish. We have to do a forward-looking
    barrier analysis and understand solutions that way.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young, Michigan is the second-most-diverse State
    in agricultural production, from specialty crops and organics
    to local food systems and extensive urban agriculture as well.
    What are the biggest research challenges facing these farmers,
    and how can USDA better support the diversity of agricultural
    production through research and extension?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Thank you, Senator Stabenow. In urban
    agriculture, what we find is that we have the same issues we
    face in other parts of our agriculture production practices. We
    have pest and disease management research, breed development
    for indoor growth, and more importantly, energy consumption. We
    in USDA ARS we have developed software to help be able to
    predict how much energy an indoor agriculture process may need,
    for example. We are working very hard to make sure that urban
    agriculture is a significant component of our food production
    in America.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. I think it is so important, as we go
    forward. One of the successes we have had with the farm bill is
    representing and embracing all parts of agriculture, all
    regions, all sizes, from very large to very small, and the
    important contributions from each of those sectors. I look
    forward to working with you on this.
        Senator Boozman.
        Senator Boozman. Thank you, Madam Chair, and Dr. Jacobs-
    Young, thank you for a very informative meeting yesterday. The
    topic that we covered was the importance of the National
    Agricultural Law Center, a distinguished enterprise housed at
    the University of Arkansas. As you know, this center serves a
    vital role not only for congressional members and their staff
    but for agricultural producers and stakeholders across the
    country. Their partnership with the National Agricultural
    Library, which, of course, you are familiar with from your time
    at the Agricultural Research Service, is very important to me
    and very important to agriculture, in general. I appreciate you
    noting that in our conversation yesterday.
        Another issue that is very important to me is
    biotechnology. The United States should be the tip of the spear
    in driving advancements in both plant and animal biotechnology.
    While these technologies face a troubling regulatory
    environment with other agencies, the Department of Agriculture
    has traditionally proven to take a risk-based and science-
    driven approach to facilitating, rather than impeding, these
    technologies. I believe the REE mission area has a critical
    role to play in the development and adoption of new tools.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young, please share with us your thoughts on the
    role of newer technologies in the future of U.S. agriculture,
    and if confirmed, how will you lead the mission area in this
    critical work?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Thank you for your question, Senator
    Boozman. Very importantly, we know that the population is
    growing. You know, we are expected to be somewhere near 10
    billion by the year 2050. We have a need to grow more food at
    the same time we have a need to protect the environment.
        We know, historically, that innovation, the Green
    Revolution, for example, were the only way we were able to meet
    these types of challenges. We have to have every tool in our
    arsenal to be able to meet the challenges before us. There is
    not an either/or. We cannot grow more food or protect the
    environment. We have to be able to do both. In order to do
    that, we need to use advanced technologies.
        In the Agriculture Research Service we are pushing the
    envelope on innovation, using advanced tools and techniques,
    bringing those techniques to crops, specialty crops that
    typically would not use the advanced tools and techniques.
    Being able to spread that information will shorten the time
    from discovery to dissemination. We must have advanced tools
    and technologies in our toolbox in order to meet the needs.
        I know that globally we have also shared this message on
    the global stage. If confirmed, I look forward to continuing to
    really impress upon others the importance of using biotech,
    gene editing, when appropriate, when needed, in our toolbox.
        Senator Boozman. Very good. Dr. Jacobs-Young, you know,
    firsthand, the importance of the land-grant university system.
    You are the product of a land-grant. I am also the product of a
    land-grant in Arkansas. We have two distinguished land-grant
    institutions, my alma mater, the University of Arkansas, and
    the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, both of which do
    great work in agricultural academics, research, and cooperative
    extension.
        Arkansas Pine Bluff, in particular, has done some great
    work through their Aquaculture and Fisheries Center of
    Excellence. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, we
    have invested as much as we can into our land-grant
    institutions, and the return on that investment is always very,
    very high.
        However, there never seems to be enough resources. If
    confirmed, what will you do to help our land-grant universities
    focus their resources to make the best use of taxpayer dollars?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Thank you again. You know, I joined USDA
    two decades ago with the Cooperative State Research, Education,
    and Extension Service, and it was then that I learned the power
    of the partnership between USDA and our land-grant university
    system. In fact, one-third of ARS's labs are located on land-
    grant university campuses, so we work side by side.
        If confirmed, I commit to continuing the engagement and
    working with our land-grant partners to prioritize and seek
    partnerships and collaborations around leveraging our resources
    to meet our biggest challenges.
        Senator Boozman. Very good. Thank you, Madam Chair.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Speaking of
    technology, we will turn to Senator Smith virtually, and then
    go to Senator Fischer.
        Senator Smith. Thank you, Madam Chair and Ranking Member. I
    am glad to be with you. I want to thank both of our nominees,
    Dr. Jacobs-Young and Ms. Schlanger, for your willingness to
    serve our country in the USDA. Thank you so much, Dr. Jacobs-
    Young, for our meeting yesterday. It was wonderful to have a
    chance to visit with you. As we discussed, I think that your
    deep knowledge of the Department and your long experience there
    will make you an excellent leader in this role that you are
    being considered for.
        Before I begin my questions I want to just start out by
    inviting you both to Minnesota. I suspect that my colleague,
    Senator Klobuchar, will join in this invitation. Dr. Jacobs-
    Young, we would love to have you come visit the Agriculture
    Research Service facility in Morris, Minnesota. That Morris
    facility houses the North Central Soil Conservation Research
    Lab and was slated for closure by the Trump administration.
    Luckily, the Minnesota congressional delegation, appreciating
    the importance of this facility, worked to keep it open and
    funded, and I think you would really appreciate the work that
    is being done there and the research that has been done there.
    We would love to have you come and visit us.
        [Pause.]
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Thank you.
        Senator Smith. Awkwardness of virtual discussions. Pardon
    me.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. I look forward to visiting our teams at
    Morris, Minnesota. Every March, when we are in person, their
    supporters and many of the scientists come into Washington, DC,
    and I get to visit with them often. Thank you for the support
    of that laboratory. We really appreciate it.
        Senator Smith. Thank you. We touched on this a little bit
    yesterday, Dr. Jacobs-Young. Minnesota has a diverse farming
    community. Hmong, Native, Latino, Somalia, and Black farmers
    all play a really integral role in the Minnesota agricultural
    sector and in our State's small business community. I often
    hear from them, as I said to you yesterday, how the USDA does
    not do enough to provide support to farmers of color and
    communities of color, and I have asked many of the nominees
    before this Committee what they think, what you think the USDA
    can and should be doing, both internally and externally, to
    remove barriers facing farmers of color, as well as business
    owners of color.
        I see my colleague, Senator Booker, on the screen, as well
    as Senator Warnock, who have been such strong advocates of this
    issue as well.
        Let me ask both of you, Dr. Jacobs-Young and Ms. Schlanger,
    we can acknowledge that the USDA has historically had a blind
    spot when it comes to communities of color. What do you think
    the USDA should be doing to acknowledge this and to help
    farmers of color and business owners of color in the ag sector
    get access to all USDA programs?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Thank you, Senator Smith. Absolutely.
    Secretary Vilsack has a priority to remove the barriers and
    increase inclusion in our programs, and that includes our
    scientific programs. We recognize that we need to take a look
    at our scientific programs through a more inclusive lens. We
    prioritize, you know, certain segments of the agriculture
    industry. We need to listen to our farmers of color to find out
    what are their highest priorities.
        I met with the National Bison Association about a week ago,
    and I learned a lot about what we need to do in terms of
    protecting and helping to produce products that are specific to
    bison, and because they typically use products that are slated
    for cattle.
        There are things that we can do. We can store germ plasm.
    We can share germ plasm. There are a number of efforts that we
    need to put in place, and it starts by listening. If confirmed,
    I plan to do a lot of listening to find out what are the
    highest priority efforts we can undertake.
        Senator Smith. Thank you. Ms. Schlanger?
        Ms. Schlanger. Thank you, Senator. As you know, I think
    that addressing the problem that you have just brought up is
    about the most important thing that I can do, if I am
    confirmed. Reaching out to communities that have been and have
    felt excluded from USDA programs and learning what they see as
    the barriers to access, and making sure that they have the
    information they need to get full and equal access is just
    vitally important.
        We need to not only listen, we need to pay attention to
    what we learn, and we need to check in often as we are
    implementing change, to make sure that that change is not just
    aspirational but it is being felt on the ground.
        Senator Smith. Thank you very much. I know that I am out of
    time. I will yield back. Thank you, Madam Chair.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator Fischer.
        Senator Fischer. Thank you, Madam Chairman. Dr. Jacobs-
    Young, as you know, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln is
    currently working with the Agriculture Research Service to
    create the National Center for Resilience and Regenerative
    Precision Agriculture at Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln.
    The center is an example of how public-private partnerships can
    be created to accelerate the translation of science into
    practice and ensure that American agriculture remains the
    leader in feeding and fueling a growing world sustainably.
        I am very appreciative of the excellent partnership between
    ARS and UNL and am excited to continue working together to
    bring the center online.
        Would you speak to how the center aligns with the USDA's
    science blueprint? Specifically, what science gaps currently
    exist that ARS recognizes must be addressed for the future
    success of our agriculture in this country?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Thank you so much, Senator Fischer. I am
    very excited about the new facilities, and we are engaging in
    discussions with the University of Nebraska to talk about the
    specifics for the facility and the specifics for the program.
    We are still in discussions with Nebraska about the program.
        What is advantageous for us is the co-location that we
    have, those campuses across the country, and UNL is just a
    great example of that, not only on your Lincoln campus but also
    at our Clay Center facility, at our Meat and Animal Research
    Center (MARC). Without those partnerships we could not be
    successful. I think the head of University of Nebraska is an
    ARS alumnus, and so we are very excited to work with Dr. Ronnie
    Green and the team there as we plan to move forward.
        I would love to followup with you, if confirmed, to talk
    about our very specific details of that plan as it moves along.
        Senator Fischer. Great. I appreciate that. You brought up
    the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center that we do have at Clay
    Center. With the current Administration's focus on
    sustainability and climate change, do you agree that
    agriculture, especially livestock, can play a positive role in
    helping to meet the climate goals that we have set?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. I believe that farmers and producers must
    be a part of the solution to meet the challenges that we face,
    and some of the important research that is happening there at
    MARC will be a part of that equation. They are doing some very
    important work on sustainability and environmental impact.
        Senator Fischer. Thank you. I am happy to hear that. I
    think anyone who has had experience, especially looking at
    rangeland, sees the positive effects that animal impact have on
    the land itself and also the vegetation on that land if it is
    managed correctly. I appreciate that. thank you.
        Also, as the Administration continues to focus on
    addressing climate change concerns through agriculture, one
    concern that I have heard as it relates to carbon markets is
    how early adopters of certain conservation practices fit within
    those markets. Take Nebraska, for example, which has long been
    using practices like no-till to improve soil health, while also
    decreasing water and fertilizer usage.
        Can you discuss what research USDA is doing, or that you
    hope for USDA to do, that would help to quantify the impacts
    that early and long-term adopters of conservation practices
    have already had? You mentioned earlier farmers need to be a
    part of this. It comes as no surprise to people who live on the
    land and manage the land that many, for decades, have
    participated in conservation stewardship. What do you see being
    able to move that positive story into the future?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Right. Thank you. You know, the words
    that come to my mind when we think about the conservation and
    role of farmers and producers is voluntary, it is incentives,
    it is engagement. I think, honestly, bringing them into the
    process is going to be the best solution.
        We have the Long-Term Agroecosystem Research network, the
    18 sites, and we have the 10 climate hubs, where we are
    involving the producers in the discussions and the scientific
    process, that we can reduce the risk, from a research basis.
        We want to be able to also better quantify the impact, so
    we are looking at technology. Technology, again, is developing
    sensors to be able to measure, have we made an impact? Have we
    made a difference? We are conducting that research every day,
    and, if confirmed, I hope to be able to come back and talk
    about where we are.
        Senator Fischer. Great. Thank you very much. Thank you,
    Madam Chair.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you. I believe we have Senator
    Booker with us electronically.
        Senator Booker. Yes. I hope you can hear me, Chairwoman.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Yes, absolutely.
        Senator Booker. Fantastic. I just want to say good morning
    to both of our extraordinary witnesses testifying today for
    their confirmations.
        I want to just jump right in. I know it has been mentioned
    already, but the USDA has well-documented, really terrible
    history of discrimination against Black farmers and other
    farmers of color. Over the past 100 years, discrimination
    against Black farmers by the USDA has caused these farmers to
    lose millions of acres of land, robbing these farmers and their
    families of billions and billions of dollars' worth of
    generational wealth.
        For farmers who have suffered USDA direct discrimination
    and then filed civil rights complaints to ask for help, these
    farmers have very often been mistreated a second time by the
    USDA and had their complaints ignored or dismissed by the
    Office of Civil Rights. Despite the fact that we know that
    discrimination has been rampant, the Civil Rights Office almost
    never makes findings of discrimination.
        Ms. Schlanger, you will have your work cut out for you, and
    I know you understand this. You have a challenge to reform the
    office that has really proven resistant to change over the
    years. I guess my first question, very directly, is if you are
    confirmed, what will you do, not just to speed up the process
    which is critical but to ensure that equitable investigation
    and education of civil rights complaints happens?
        Ms. Schlanger. Thank you, Senator. I appreciate that
    question very much. The complaints against the complaint
    process at USDA are pretty longstanding, and I think the
    principles for solution are pretty clear. The process has to be
    open and easy to access. It has to be fair. It has to be
    competent. It has to be able to accurately assess complaints,
    and it has to be speedy enough to actually solve violations if
    they are found and remediate. It has to be speedy enough that
    if violations are not found it can tell the complainants and
    have both them and the agency move on. It has to offer
    effective remediation.
        It is also super important that complaints be used to
    understand where problems exist and to inform forward-looking
    problem-solving. I am entirely committed, if I am privileged to
    be confirmed, to bringing these principles to bear on the
    existing process and to understanding it and understand what is
    really going on with it as very best I can. I have some
    experience revamping civil rights complaint processes, and so I
    can commit to working very hard and in, I think, an experienced
    way to get that done.
        I am going to need to get behind the walls to understand
    what is really going on and say exactly what the problems are
    and how they should be solved. I do not think I can commit
    right now to exactly what the solutions are because I need
    better information on the source of the problems that have been
    complained about for so many years.
        Senator Booker. I really appreciate that, and another sort
    of area of complaint which I know you are aware of is the
    serious concerns raised, for many years, that the staff at the
    USDA's General Counsel's Office have been improperly reviewing
    and resolving discrimination complaints. If you are confirmed,
    can you commit to ensuring that there will be a substantive
    firewall maintained between the General Counsel's Office and
    the Civil Rights Office for all civil rights complaints?
        Ms. Schlanger. Thank you for that question as well,
    Senator. I know from experience that the relationship between
    the Office of General Counsel and the Civil Rights Office is
    really important. What is key is to be clear about the roles.
    The General Counsel's Office provides legal advice, and the
    Civil Rights Office needs to get that legal advice. It is the
    Civil Rights Office that adjudicates complaints, and it is the
    Civil Rights Office that offers policy advice for going
    forward. The Civil Rights Office needs OGC support when it
    needs legal advice, but it needs independence and respect as
    well.
        Exactly how to make those lanes clear is going to require
    some future conversations. I have been lucky enough to have a
    couple of conversations, not about the nitty-gritty of it but
    just about the ideas, with the general counsel, Janie Hipp, and
    I am confident that we will be able to work this out. I think
    the principle that I can commit to you is that the Civil Rights
    Office needs independence and it needs respect, and I will do
    everything I can to make that happen.
        Senator Booker. I am grateful for that, and I know my time
    is up. I will just say that, you know, things like training and
    outreach that the Civil Rights Office has done in the past
    really have not amounted to cultural change toward the
    resolution of complaints, toward making sure, frankly, that
    corrective actions are taken. I just really appreciate your
    focus here, and there are a number of us on the Committee that
    this is a very serious concern of ours, and I am excited about
    the prospect of you getting confirmed and being a real impact
    player in changing what has been a very long, awful history of
    discrimination, lack of action, over-bureaucracy, and more.
        Thank you very much. Thank you, Chairwoman.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator Marshall.
        Senator Marshall. Thank you so much, Madam Chair, and
    welcome to both of our guests.
        One of my big concerns is people in the Federal Government
    working remotely. Whether it is an FSA office or folks that
    work for ERS or for NIFA, I do not think people are nearly as
    efficient. That is true in the private world. I think studies
    are starting to show that people working remotely are probably
    80, 85 percent as efficient as they were beforehand.
        My first questions will go to Dr. Jacobs-Young, of course,
    regarding ERS and NIFA. These offices were moved to Kansas
    City, getting us closer to where the action is. We do not grow
    a lot of wheat here in the bubble. Not many cattle are raised
    here in the Washington, DC. bubble, so I think it is great
    these USDA employees are out there on the front line. Ninety
    percent of USDA employees are located outside of the D.C. Area.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young, on the annual hiring data available on
    the H.R. dashboards for the most recent pay period, for ERS and
    NIFA employees in Kansas City, what is listed currently as
    their duty station? Is it Kansas City or is it Washington, DC.?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Currently we have ERS and NIFA employees
    in Kansas City, and ERS and NIFA has also some representatives
    in Washington, DC.. The administrators, the heads of the
    agencies are stationed in Washington, DC, and some auxiliary
    team members, I hear. We have employees for those agencies in--
    --
        Senator Marshall. Are their official duty station listed as
    Kansas City and they are working remotely, or is their official
    duty station still listed, for the ones here that are in D.C.,
    is the duty station listed as here?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Sir, I do not have that data at top of
    mind, but I would be happy to followup with you on that.
        Senator Marshall. Great. We would appreciate that. I am
    hoping that the answer is going to be is that the duty station
    is listed as Kansas City, and assuming that is the case I would
    hope you would let this Committee know if there is a change in
    that permanent duty station as well. Again, the emphasis is
    remote work just does not work as well. The local community,
    Kansas City, put up incentives to have those employees working
    in Kansas City, and I hope that there is a contingency plan if
    we end up letting those people work remotely, to help reimburse
    those cities as well. We want to stay attuned to that great
    opportunity.
        You know, no agriculture committee would be complete
    without talking about NBAF, the National Bio and Agro-Defense
    Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, my alma mater, home of the ever-
    fighting Wildcats. My question for you is, are you committed to
    ensuring the mission at NBAF is safe, effective, and properly
    funded?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. I am completely engaged in the NBAF
    process and have been working with our team for the past seven
    or eight years, and I know there are others who have been at it
    much longer. I am committed to staying engaged with the
    transition of NBAF from Department of Homeland Security to
    USDA. We are committed to hiring. We have done a fantastic job
    hiring for NBAF, and the facility has been designed to be
    extremely safe. I trust the safety of that facility, and I am
    committed to staying engaged with your teams as well as DHS and
    our USDA teams as we move forward on meeting the milestones.
        Senator Marshall. That sounds great.
        This question is, I guess, for both of you who can answer
    it. What type of impact will the vaccine mandate have on USDA?
    Any idea of what percentage of your employees at USDA are not
    vaccinated yet, and how that is going to impact the Department
    going forward?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Thank you for that question. Since I am
    in USDA I am probably in a better position, Margo, to answer.
    You know, I can speak for ARS, where I am the Administrator. We
    have a small portion of our agency that has either not been
    vaccinated or has not finished the reasonable accommodation
    process. Actually, we do not see a significant impact in terms
    of what will be the impact of the mandate on our agency.
        Senator Marshall. I mean, not having a significant impact
    to me would mean like only two or three percent of your folks
    are not vaccinated, versus in most national places, every
    organization I talk to, it is more like 30 percent of folks are
    not vaccinated. Our FSA officers, ERS officers, those people
    out in the field, I am going to expect that a third of them are
    not vaccinated. Are you telling me that 98, 99 percent of the
    people at USDA across the country are vaccinated?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. What I am sharing is that in ARS, a
    science agency, that we have--I do not see us being
    significantly impacted by the number of people not vaccinated
    or not receiving reasonable accommodation.
        Senator Marshall. Okay. Thank you, Chairwoman. I yield
    back.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Next we have
    Senator Warnock and then Senator Tuberville.
        Senator Warnock. Well, thank you so very much, Madam Chair,
    and Ms. Schlanger, congratulations on your nomination to this
    important position, and it is so important for so many reasons.
        Let me be very blunt. The track record of the USDA with
    respect to civil rights has been abysmal, and the Department
    has historically failed to provide justice to farmers of color,
    in general, but particularly Black farmers. Black farmers have
    literally suffered at the hands of their own government, and we
    are living with that legacy now. I spent some time in
    Byromville, Georgia, talking to Black farmers, and all across
    Georgia, for that matter, and I have heard this directly from
    them. Discriminatory practices by USDA have cost them
    financially. It has caused a lot of distress for them and their
    families, pushed them off their land.
        If confirmed, what will you do differently? What will you
    do? Will you be the tip of the spear for dealing with
    discrimination claims against the Department?
        Ms. Schlanger. Thank you, Senator, for that question. As
    you know, this is among the very highest priorities for anyone
    who is leading Civil Rights at USDA. What I think needs to be
    emphasized is that there has to be both a backward-looking and
    a forward-looking solution, that we have to have a working
    complaint process so that people who have experienced problems
    have a place to turn to get remediation, and a system that
    addresses their complaint in a fair, efficient, and effective
    way, and addresses it speedily enough that there is some hope
    that they can actually get the remediation that they need,
    which means not three years, say, or four years.
        In addition, we need a forward-looking solution. We need to
    take the wisdom of the people who have experienced problems,
    both the ones who have been denied completely access, so they
    have not been participants in USDA programs, and the ones who
    have been partial participants. They have been participants but
    they have felt barriers to their flourishing by way of those
    programs.
        We need to take their wisdom and we need to use that as
    part of the civil rights culture that we need to build, going
    forward. If confirmed, I pledge to do both of those things.
        Senator Warnock. Well, you know how serious this issue is,
    and we are talking about folks who have been disappointed time
    and time again. I think about the Pigford settlements, for
    example. Could you be more specific? What specific actions will
    you take to make sure that farmers of color, and Black farmers,
    in particular, are treated fairly?
        Ms. Schlanger. Yes. Thank you, Senator. I hesitate to give
    very many specifics, for two reasons. One is I really think it
    is important to learn from the communities that have been
    affected, and I do not want to commit to a path forward without
    having them be included in building that path. I feel that it
    is a little premature to say this is the solution until I have
    heard officially from communities of color what they think the
    path forward should look like. But----
        Senator Warnock. Do you agree that these concerns should be
    prioritized in your work?
        Ms. Schlanger. Absolutely, Senator. Yes, I do.
        Senator Warnock. You will agree to commit to working with
    me on this to make sure that these farmers get justice?
        Ms. Schlanger. Yes, I will.
        Senator Warnock. That their families are made whole.
        Ms. Schlanger. I will absolutely commit to you to work with
    you and to work with them, as well, to solve the problems that
    they have experienced. Absolutely.
        Senator Warnock. Thank you.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young, congratulations, and it is always good to
    welcome somebody from Georgia. USDA's National institute of
    Food and Agriculture provides funding for 1890 land-grant
    universities. These historically Black colleges and
    universities, like Fort Valley State University in Georgia, one
    of our rivals when I was a student at Morehouse, they support
    diversity within the agriculture sector and provide valuable
    services to historically underserved communities.
        I have been proud to work with Senator Brown and other
    members of this Committee to push for more funding for the 1890
    land-grant universities. If confirmed, how will you uplift our
    1890 institutions and ensure that they have the resources they
    need to prepare students for careers in agriculture?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. I have been working with the 1890's for
    two decades now, when I first joined the Cooperative State
    Research Education Extension Service in 2002. I was just with
    them last week, got to Paul Jones and the research directors
    for the 1890's. If confirmed, I commit to continuing those
    conversations with the leadership for the 1890's to build on
    the legacy of our partnerships and expand on the potential that
    we know is there.
        We depend on them for a critical part of training the next
    generation of ag professionals, being a conduit to the
    community so that we can have our ears to the ground. I commit
    to continuing to build and expand those partnerships.
        Senator Warnock. Well. Well, I am always impressed when I
    am down at Fort Valley. It is not an easy thing for a Morehouse
    man to say. These students are impressive, the faculty are
    impressive, and I think we should do everything we can to
    expand their pathway for involvement in the ag sector.
        Thank you so much and good luck to both of you.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. Senator
    Tuberville, you have been bumped by Senator Thune. He is on
    remotely, and then we will turn to you. Thank you.
        Senator Thune.
        Senator Thune. Thanks, Madam Chair, and I just want Senator
    Tuberville to know, I did not choose to bump him. That is not
    my call.
        Let me start--and I want to thank our nominees for their
    willingness to serve and for appearing before the Committee to
    answer our questions.
        Before I turn to my questions for the nominees I want to
    voice my concern that we are nearly a year into the Biden
    administration and we still do not have a chief ag negotiator
    in place at the Office of the U.S. Trade Rep. In addition, the
    Administration has not even announced a nominee to serve as the
    USDA's Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural
    Affairs. It is becoming clear that this Administration is not
    prioritizing our agricultural trade interests, and I urge the
    Administration to make filling these roles in order to advance
    our U.S. ag trade interests a top priority going forward.
        Dr. Jacobs-Young, I recognize that climate is a top
    priority at USDA under this Administration, but we need to make
    sure that we are focusing attention to resources on efforts to
    advance the production agriculture capabilities of farmers and
    ranchers as they continue working to feed, clothe, and fuel a
    growing global population.
        If confirmed, what actions would you take to make sure that
    various research, education, and economic needs of production
    agriculture are made a priority?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Thank you, Senator Thune, for your
    question. In line with our history in the agricultural industry
    in terms of the research, in the impact for research that has
    been conducted with ARS, if confirmed, I commit to working with
    NIFA, ERS, NASS, and ARS to make sure that we continue to hear
    from our ag producers and to conduct research that is the
    highest priority for them.
        I believe that this is a window of opportunity to be
    transformational in the work that we are doing for agriculture.
    Ag is a high-tech industry, and we are pushing the envelope on
    technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning. We
    talked a little bit about advanced techniques like
    biotechnology and gene editing. I think that there are
    opportunities to do even more than we have done in the past,
    and I am very proud of the past, of the impact that we have had
    on productivity in agriculture.
        For example, I use this example because it was just so
    impressive to me. I had Louisiana's sugar cane growers who came
    in and talked about having an extremely cold winter, and in the
    past they would have lost their production. Instead they had a
    record crop because of the varieties, the breed varieties that
    had been developed in our Houma, Louisiana, laboratory. That is
    just one example of many.
        I think about dairy cows and the increased production of
    milk with fewer cows, which means a small environmental
    footprint. Those are the types of stories that I get to hear
    from the producers every year on the impact that science has
    had on their production. I commit to even expanding on that, if
    confirmed.
        Senator Thune. Let me ask, if confirmed, you would be
    tasked with overseeing the National Agricultural Statistics
    Service, or NASS, which provides data on U.S. agricultural
    production. In the past, South Dakota producers have raised
    concerns about the accuracy of NASS reports.
        If confirmed, what actions would you take to strengthen the
    integrity and accuracy of NASS reports that producers rely on?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Well, thank you for that question. In
    terms of working with NASS, I have worked with Administrator
    Hamer for the last seven years as leaders of sister agencies,
    and I know that Administrator Hamer is committed to listening.
    I know that he is committed to continuous process improvement
    and modernization. If confirmed, I look forward to working very
    closely with Mr. Hamer and the agriculture community to ensure
    that we are listening and responding, as appropriate.
        Senator Thune. That would be great. That has been kind of a
    chronic issue that producers in my State have dealt with, just
    accuracy, reliability, and I hope that you would make that a
    focus.
        Ms. Schlanger, I do not have much time left but one of the
    greatest challenges in delivering USDA programs is the
    exceptionally broad range of program recipients from
    underserved areas with little or no technical capability to
    producers with the latest in technology and equipment. One area
    I would like you to review is USDA program delivery on our
    Native American reservations. If confirmed, do you commit to
    looking into ways for USDA to provide additional extension
    agents and educational opportunities in Indian Country?
        Ms. Schlanger. Thank you for that question, Senator. I do
    not think that my office, if I am confirmed, has the authority
    to do what you are proposing, but I absolutely commit to
    discussing with the people who would benefit from that change
    what they need, how they need it, and then to working within
    the Department to remove the barrier to access that you have
    just identified. Yes, I do.
        Senator Thune. Thank you, Madam Chair. My time has expired.
    Thanks.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Thank you very much. We are just
    discussing timing since I need to adjourn the meeting here in
    just a couple of moments. I am going to--I can recognize
    Senator Braun and ask unanimous consent that he be our last
    questioner. I am sorry to do that. Anyone else is certainly
    welcome to put it in the record. If there is no objection I
    will ask Senator Braun to ask his questions and then we will
    adjourn the meeting.
        Senator Hoeven. Madam Chair, if I could make a very brief
    statement then I would certainly agree to that.
        I just want to greet our witnesses and particularly thank
    them. I just have to make one quick point that there were two
    great athletes on the Hill yesterday. One, of course, was Max
    Scherzer, obviously a great pitcher, but the other is our
    candidate for ARS director. She actually is an at least one-
    time record holder in the high jump at North Carolina State
    University, 5 feet, 10.5 inches. To be able to do that and get
    a Ph.D. in engineering is something I just felt I had to
    mention at this hearing.
        Thank you, Madam Chairman.
        Chairwoman Stabenow. Points worth making, so thank you.
    Senator Braun, I will let you be our last Senator to ask
    questions today. Thank you so much.
        Senator Braun. Thank you, Madam Chair. I enjoyed my
    conversation with both of you just yesterday, and I will start
    with Dr. Jacobs-Young. I have been an outspoken member of this
    Committee about how important it is to make sure the family
    farm maintains its viability over time, because there has not
    been an enterprise that is more difficult, where the risk
    financially is heightened every year. It seems like when we do
    get good markets all of a sudden input prices keep going up.
        I am interested in knowing whether, as Acting Under
    Secretary for the research side of it, education, and
    economics, and especially farm economics, you recognized that
    problem. Does it have to do with, like many other industries,
    we are getting too concentrated at the top, and how will you
    develop, or how will you aim your focus at what I consider to
    be an increasingly significant problem year after year?
        Dr. Jacobs-Young. Senator Braun, thank you for that
    question, and thank you for our visit yesterday. If confirmed,
    I have an opportunity to work with Dr. Spiro Stefanou and the
    Economic Research Service, who has their mission to anticipate
    trends and emerging issues, and more importantly, they have an
    opportunity to tell us what impacts certain policies will have
    on agriculture and the ag industry.
        You know, I commit, if confirmed, to working with Dr.
    Stefanou to really take a look at what you are bringing up, in
    terms of the cost to farmers. I think about the Secretary's
    priority, to create economic opportunities. We are conducting
    research every day to really try to find added value,
    agricultural products for our producers, our small farmers,
    specialty crops, for example, you know, targeted community
    systems.
        I commit to doing that, and if confirmed, I would love to
    followup with you after working with Dr. Stefanou.
        Senator Braun. Well, thank you for the intention to put
    focus on it, and I will always be there because I keep my ear
    to the pavement when it comes to those issues, and it is
    growing in concern every year. Thank you.
        Ms. Schlanger, we had an interesting conversation, and I
    did ask you about the fact that in 2020 we were seeing cases
    actually reduced when it comes to civil rights and
    discrimination as it relates to farming. We you able to look
    into that any further to see if that was because they were
    being remediated in a beneficial way? Was it a good trend that
    we were going toward? Then I have got one other question, so
    reserve about a minute at the end of this answer here.
        Ms. Schlanger. Thank you, Senator Braun. It was good to
    talk with you yesterday and I appreciate the question today.
    No, because I am not yet within USDA I do not have access to
    any information that is not public. I did review the report
    that you referred to, and it does not have enough information
    to answer your question, which is, is the reduction in
    complaints a sign of improved program delivery or is it a sign
    of extra barriers to access to the complaint system. I do not
    know the answer, but I do pledge to figure it out.
        Senator Braun. I would just ask that if, in fact, we were
    moving in the right direction, and just because it was maybe
    under a different administration, that it would be good not to
    reflexively maybe be against something that is already showing
    some merit.
        The USDA, this Committee, has historically had a very kind
    of low-key, bipartisan kind of tone to it, and I do know that
    prior to applying for this job you have been outspoken, you
    know, through the public media, for example, COVID-19 nursing
    home deaths during the Trump administration, border family
    separation, Supreme Court cases. Is that something you would
    continue to be out there with, or would you moderate it, given
    the fact that this has generally not been the forum for that?
        Ms. Schlanger. Thank you for the question, Senator. I
    appreciate it. If I am confirmed to this job I plan for it to
    get 100 percent of my efforts, and I will not be writing the
    kinds of articles that you refer to or making the kinds of
    appearances that you refer to.
        Senator Braun. I think that is a wise course of action, and
    I am glad that you have indicated that that will be the case.
    Thank you.
        Ms. Schlanger. I appreciate the question.
        Senator Boozman.
        [Presiding.] Thank you all for being here today. That
    concludes today's hearing. The record will remain open until
    tomorrow at 5 p.m. for members to submit additional questions
    or statements. With that the hearing is adjourned.

        [Whereupon, at 11:32 a.m., the Committee was adjourned.]

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