Welcome to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency (FSA) Hispanic American Outreach Program.

Since July 1996, the Hispanic American Outreach Program has been an integral part of the FSA efforts to provide better services to all farmers and ranchers seeking agricultural assistance. The Administrator of the FSA established the program with a mission to provide leadership, coordination, facilitation and expertise to internal and external partners to ensure equal and timely access to FSA programs and services for all constituents, with emphasis on the underserved. FSA programs are directed primarily at agricultural producers or, in the case of loans, at those with farming experience. Three to five person county committees, elected by local farmers, play an important role in carrying out programs at the county level.

The Farm Service Agency helps Hispanic American farmers and ranchers stabilize farm income, work with them to conserve land and water, and provides loans to new and disadvantaged family-size farmers and ranchers. Among the continuing benefits of the mandated programs carried out by the FSA are direct payments, loan opportunities, disaster recovery, commodity services, and conservation measures. New provisions in the 2002 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (2002 Farm Bill) will be in place until 2007.

FSA also provides education and assistance to traditionally underserved communities through partnerships with community-based organizations, farm groups, 1862, 1890, and 1994 land grant universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HIS's), and other educational institutions of higher education.

Hispanic influences on American agriculture dated back to Spanish exploration and settlement of northwestern Mexico, now the American Southwest. Explorers and settlers introduced horses, cattle, and other Spanish agricultural traditions to the region, altering indigenous farming practices. On their large land grants, Spanish rancheros established many of the open-range western cattle ranching practices that survived into the 19th century.

In the 20th century, Hispanics have been most visible in agriculture as farm workers. As braceros, Mexican guest workers hired by U.S. growers, or as Mexican-American migrant workers and day laborers who follow the seasonal crop patterns on their own, Hispanic workers have brought experienced, skilled labor to American agriculture.

Just as the number of Hispanics in the American population continues to grow, the number of Spanish, Hispanic, Latino, or Puerto Rican origin farm operators has increased by 50.8 percent in the continental U.S., from 33,450 in 1997 to 50,443 in 2002. There are also an additional 17,659 Hispanic farmers in Puerto Rico. With a 50.8 percent increase just in the continental U.S., Hispanics are the fastest growing minority group among American farm operators.

Further information and applications for FSA programs are available at local FSA Service Centers and on the website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov. FSA Offices are usually listed in telephone directories under U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency.