Each May since 1992, the United States of America has celebrated the culture and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. This year the Federal Asian Pacific American Council calls on everyone to commit to working together to build a better future through their theme “Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity.”
May was designated Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) History and Heritage Month by Congress in 1992 following the creation of Pacific/Asian American Heritage Week in 1978 and its first celebration in May 1979. May was chosen for the observance to honor the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant to America on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the transatlantic railroad, which was largely built by Chinese immigrants, on May 10, 1869.
“Diversity and equality are core tenets at USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in terms of the producers we work with and the employees we hire to help us get conservation on the ground,” said David Doctorian, acting state conservationist for Indiana NRCS. “Under the leadership of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and NRCS Chief Terry Cosby we are committed to providing opportunities to historically underserved producers, including those of Asian American, Pacific Island and native Hawaiian heritage and ensuring they have equal access to our financial and technical assistance. We have also committed to hiring a diverse and well-trained workforce that is dedicated to helping people help the land.”
Indiana NRCS has financial and technical resources available to support Asian, Pacific Islanders and native Hawaiians producers. Farmers and private forestland owners in those communities may qualify for priority consideration on Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) applications, which enables them to address natural resource concerns on their land. Members of historically underserved communities may also be eligible for a higher payment rate and advanced payments to help with the implementation of conservation practices.
“No matter the size of your operation, NRCS can help you address resource concerns on your land either through free technical assistance or direct financial assistance from our suite of conservation programs,” said Jennifer Chen, AANHPI Special Emphasis Program Manager for Indiana NRCS. “As a historically underserved community, AANHPI farmers may receive priority consideration for funding and other benefits to enable them to install practices that might have been cost prohibitive otherwise.”
Please join us throughout May as we honor the continued contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. For more information about AANHPI History and Heritage Month visit https://asianpacificheritage.gov/.
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