(NAFB) – The Department of Agriculture last week announced a trio of awards totaling nearly $25 million in grants and cooperative agreements.

The funding seeks to ensure broader access and participation in USDA programs and services for historically underserved farmers and ranchers. The effort is the latest in a series of announcements around USDA’s commitment to root out generations of systemic racism, center equity in decision-making and policymaking, lower barriers to access and ensure USDA programming is inclusive of all employees and all customers.

One set of awards announced Friday includes $18.6 million in grants to provide training, outreach, and technical assistance to historically underserved and veteran farmers and ranchers in 21 states through USDA’s 2501 Program. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency is awarding $4.7 million to organizations for projects that will provide historically underserved producers with improved access and technical assistance as they apply for and FSA programs and services.