Vilsack delays update on minority-serving ARPA funding

The case of the missing Cabinet secretary speech.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack speaks during a virtual meeting about reducing the costs of meat through increased competition in the meat processing industry in the South Court Auditorium at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on January 3, 2022 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was supposed to give a speech yesterday “announcing next steps in implementation of Section 1006 of the American Rescue Plan.”

“Major updates” were promised to be delivered in “a speech to announce new programming and the availability of funding” that would help Native American farmers and agricultural producers, as well as other minorities.