U.S. Department of Agriculture

Democratic lawmakers press USDA for answers on sensitive data collection

35 House members said they are troubled by the Agriculture Department's plans to collect personal data from people who applied for federal food assistance, and urged the effort to "immediately cease."

Lawsuit challenges USDA demand for food stamp data as some states prepare to comply

The suit claims that efforts to get sensitive information about food aid recipients from states violates federal privacy laws.

A plan to fix Jackson’s water system could cost all of Mississippi its food stamps

The DOJ and USDA said using a SNAP recipient’s information to distribute JXN Water’s roughly $30 discount to low-income customers would violate privacy.

Black farmers’ land leases are vanishing. Some say racist policies are to blame

Black farmers and their families once owned and worked on thousands of acres of land in Louisiana’s Iberia Parish. The land has shrunk over the last several decades, and some, like Eddie Lewis III, say it stems from racist policies.

Alabama Broadband Expansion to Improve High-Speed Internet Access

Alabamians, especially in rural areas, will see improvements in their internet access. A new partnership announced today plans to expand current broadband infrastructure and provide faster fiber optic cables throughout the state.

Birmingham City Council Approves Healthy Food Overlay District

The Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to establish a “healthy food overlay district,” designed to make healthy food options more accessible for the approximately two-thirds of the city’s population that lives within food deserts.