Nondiscrimination in USDA Conducted Programs and Activities

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA or the Department) is revising its regulations governing nondiscrimination in programs and activities conducted by the Department. On November 10, 1998, the Department published a proposal to do so in the Federal Register (63 FR 62962). The revision: Removes the current regulation on this subject found at 7 CFR part 15, subpart B, and places it in a new part 15d; clarifies that the regulation applies to all Department- conducted programs and activities, not just to direct assistance programs; adds familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, and public assistance status to the protected classes contained in the regulation; adds a provision on retaliation; adds a provision on Department agencies' compliance efforts; reflects that the Director of the Office of Civil Rights has been delegated the authority to make final determinations as to whether prohibited discrimination occurred and the corrective action required to resolve program complaints; removes the appendix to the regulation that lists the Department programs subject to these provisions; and makes other clarifications to the regulation.