**^Definitions\ of\ Key\ Outreach\ Concepts^**

**^Compiled\ by\ Jody\ Rendziak,\ NRCS,\ Illinois^**

**^I.\ Outreach^**

^According\ to\ the\ NRCS\ Outreach\ Division^[^1]^:^

^Outreach\ is\ a\ way\ of\ conducting\ business\ to\ ensure\ that\ underserved\ individuals\ and\ groups\ throughout\ the\ United\ States\ and\ its\ territories\ are\ made\ aware\ of,\ understand\ and\ have\ a\ working\ knowledge\ of\ USDA\ programs\ and\ services.\ Outreach\ will\ ensure\ that\ these\ programs\ and\ services\ are\ equitable\ and\ made\ accessible\ to\ all.^

**^II.\ Underserved\ Customers^**

^The\ NRCS\ Outreach\ Divisioni\ defines\ underserved\ customers\ as:^

^Individuals\ and\ groups\ who\ have\ not\ participated\ in\ or\ have\ received\ limited\ benefits\ from\ USDA\ or\ NRCS\ programs\ which\ may\ improve\ their\ quality\ of\ life\ and/or\ the\ environment.^

^Examples\ of\ historically\ underserved\ are\ farmers/ranchers\ and\ landowners/operators\ with\ limited\ resources,\ minority\ groups\ (including\ American\ Indians,\ Alaskan\ Natives\ and\ Aleuts),\ women,\ and\ the\ physically\ challenged.\ Underserved\ farmers\ may\ also\ include\ small\ farmers,\ organic\ farmers,\ and\ other\ farmers\ with\ nontraditional\ production\ practices.\ Underserved\ non-farmers\ may\ be\ members\ of\ religious\ and\ ethnic\ groups,\ and\ rural\ and\ urban\ communities\ which\ can\ benefit\ from\ USDA-NRCS\ programs\ and\ technical\ assistance.^

**^III.\ Outreach\ Strategy^**

^An\ Outreach\ Strategy\ details\ the\ actions\ each\ NRCS-SWCD\ field\ office\ will\ take\ to\ ensure\ that\ all\ customers\ have\ equal\ access\ to\ USDA\ programs\ and\ assistance.\ At\ a\ minimum,\ Outreach\ Strategies\ should:^

1\. ^Identify\ groups\ of\ customers\ who\ may\ be\ underserved.^

2\.
^Document\ the\ economic,\ social\ and\ cultural\ characteristics,\ and\ the\ resource\ concerns\ of\ underserved\ customers.^

3\. ^State\ the\ goals/objectives\ for\ the\ outreach\ initiative.^

4\.
^Identify\ actions\ that\ will\ be\ taken\ to\ achieve\ goals/objectives.^

5\. ^Identify\ resources\ that\ will\ be\ committed\ to\ the\ effort.^

6\. ^Identify\ ways\ in\ which\ progress\ will\ be\ measured.^

^Based\ on\ what\ is\ appropriate\ for\ the\ service\ area,\ Outreach\ Strategies\ can\ target\ farmers,\ non-farmers,\ rural\ communities,\ and\ urban\ communities.^

**^IV.\ Limited\ Resource\ Farmers\ and\ Ranchers^**

^According\ to\ 180-GM,\ Issue\ 5,\ Part\ 406,\ ^

^Limited\ Resource\ Farmers\ and\ Ranchers\ (LRF)\ is\ a\ term\ used\ to\ describe\ those\ farmers\ who,\ when\ compared\ to\ other\ farmers\ and\ farm\ operations\ in\ a\ given\ geographic\ area,\ such\ as\ a\ state,\ county,\ or\ project\ area,\ have\ distinct\ disadvantages\ in\ obtaining\ U.S.\ Department\ of\ Agriculture\ (USDA)\ Program\ assistance.\ The\ LRF\ designation\ is\ for\ agency\ use\ in\ diversity\ programs\ and\ is\ not\ for\ general\ information.^

*^LRFs\ have\ one\ or\ more\ of\ the\ following\ characteristics/:^*

a\)
^Gross\ farm\ sales\ average\ \$40,000\ or\ less\ in\ each\ of\ the\ last\ 3\ years\ and\ there\ is\ no\ non-farm\ income.^

b\)
^Total\ household\ net\ income,\ farm\ and\ non-farm,\ is\ 75\ percent\ or\ less\ of\ the\ non-metropolitan\ median\ income\ level\ for\ the\ state\ or\ county.^

c\) ^Lack\ of\ access\ to\ capital,\ labor,\ or\ equipment.^

d\)
^Farm\ or\ ranch\ size\ is\ significantly\ smaller\ than\ average\ size.^

e\)
^Social,\ cultural,\ customs\ or\ language\ barriers,\ minimal\ awareness\ of\ USDA\ programs,\ limited\ management\ skills,\ the\ level\ of\ formal\ education\ is\ below\ the\ county\ average\ or\ undereducated,\ and\ are\ less\ likely\ to\ take\ business\ risks\ and\ adopt\ new\ technology.^

^The\ Technical\ Note\ "Process\ for\ Identifying\ Limited\ Resource\ Farmers\ and\ Ranchers"\ describes\ how\ to\ identify\ individual\ producers\ as\ LRF.\ Contact\ the\ State\ Outreach\ Coordinators\ or\ the\ Social\ Sciences\ Institute\ for\ a\ copy\ of\ this\ publication.\ It\ is\ also\ on\ this\ web\ site\ (the\ Social\ Sciences\ Home\ Page:\ http://www.ssi.nrcs.usda.gov/^

**^V.\ Socially\ Disadvantaged\ Persons^**

^While\ some\ farmers\ may\ aptly\ be\ described\ as\ "socially\ disadvantaged,"\ this\ term\ is\ also\ useful\ for\ characterizing\ potentially\ underserved\ non^*^-farm^*^\ people\ and\ communities.\ ^

^Socially\ disadvantaged\ persons\ are\ defined\ by\ USDAi^[^2]^i\ as:\ ^

^A\ group\ whose\ members\ have\ been\ subject\ to\ racial,\ ethnic,\ or\ gender\ prejudices\ because\ of\ their\ identity\ as\ members\ of\ the\ group\ without\ regard\ to\ their\ individual\ qualities.\ Socially\ disadvantaged\ groups\ consist\ of\ women,\ African-Americans,\ Native\ Americans,\ Alaskan\ Natives,\ Hispanics,\ Asians\ and\ Pacific\ Islanders.\ ^

^National,\ state\ and\ regional\ census\ data\ includes\ information\ about\ the\ racial,\ ethnic\ and\ gender\ characteristics\ of\ residents.\ Contact\ the\ State\ Outreach\ Coordinators\ for\ assistance.^

**^VI.\ Disadvantaged\ Communities\ and\ Groups^**

^Certain\ project\ areas\ (e.g.,\ counties,\ municipalities\ or\ watersheds)\ may\ be\ characterized\ as\ "disadvantaged"\ based\ on\ the\ economic\ characteristics\ of\ the\ residents.\ ^

^According\ to\ Circular\ No.\ 4\ of\ the\ National\ Watersheds\ Manualiii,\ disadvantaged\ communities\ and\ groups\ have\ the\ following\ characteristic:^

1\.
^Average\ value\ of\ ^*^property^*^\ is\ less\ than\ 75\ percent\ of\ state\ average\ values.^

^In\ addition,\ either\ of\ the\ following\ characteristics\ is\ present:^

2\.
^The\ average\ ^*^per\ capita\ income^*^\ for\ the\ last\ three\ years\ is\ less\ than\ 75\ percent\ of\ the\ national\ average.^

^OR^

3\.
^Current\ ^*^unemployment^*^\ is\ twice\ the\ national\ average\ for\ the\ past\ three\ years.^

^The\ 1990\ U.S.\ Population\ and\ Housing\ Census\ (and\ occasionally,\ other\ state\ and\ regional\ surveys)\ can\ indicate\ the\ extent\ to\ which\ people\ with\ these\ economic\ characteristics\ live\ in\ a\ county\ or\ project\ area.\ Census\ data\ also\ provides\ information\ about\ the\ ethnic,\ racial\ and\ gender\ make-up\ of\ service\ areas.\ In\ some\ cases,\ census\ data\ can\ be\ used\ with\ the\ TIGER\ geographic\ system\ to\ show\ the\ location\ of\ targeted\ populations.\ Before\ doing\ your\ own\ analysis,\ determine\ if\ census\ data\ has\ already\ been\ reviewed\ for\ your\ area\ of\ interest\ by\ inquiring\ with\ RC&D,\ Cooperative\ Extension,\ local\ colleges\ or\ universities,\ and\ regional\ or\ county\ planning\ agencies.\ The\ State\ Outreach\ Coordinators\ are\ also\ available\ to\ provide\ assistance.^

[^1]: ^\ USDA-Natural\ Resources\ Conservation\ Services.\ "Program\ Outreach\ Division."\ Undated.^

[^2]: ^ii\ United\ States\ Department\ of\ Agriculture.\ "Statement\ by\ Secretary\ of\ Agriculture\ Dan\ Glickman\ on\ Program\ \ Delivery\ and\ Customer\ Service\ at\ USDA."\ December\ 10,\ 1996.^