Senate Agriculture Committee hears Devin Westhill on enforcing civil rights at USDA

Devin Westhill, nominee for Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry that, if confirmed, he would focus on timely complaint processing, prevention measures and vigorous enforcement of civil‑rights protections across USDA.

Westhill said he previously served in the role during the prior administration and described improvements made then to complaint timeliness and EEO (equal employment opportunity) metrics. “What we have to do is ensure...that its core complaint processing work is going well,” he said, adding that his prior team reduced investigative backlogs and implemented department‑wide civil‑rights and anti‑harassment policies.

Why it matters: Senators pressed Westhill on USDA’s history of discrimination against Black farmers, statutory obligations under the 2018 Farm Bill to conduct civil‑rights impact analyses of program changes, and the department’s alignment with programs serving historically Black land‑grant universities (the 1890 institutions). Several senators said restoring trust between USDA and underserved farmers remains a priority.

Westhill told the committee he would “communicate from the top to the bottom that civil rights will be vigorously enforced” and that he would prioritize reducing any backlog in complaint investigations “within three months or faster” if a similar backlog recurs. He pledged to ensure outreach and equal access so “anyone who wants to do business with USDA...can do that on equal footing.”

Senators raised specific items: Sen. Amy Klobuchar referenced the 2018 farm bill’s requirement for civil‑rights impact analysis for program changes; Westhill committed to conducting such evaluations and to rebuilding relationships with farmers who distrust USDA. Sen. Raphael Warnock and others pressed Westhill to acknowledge the department’s long history of discrimination, including court settlements; Westhill said he was “aware of Pigford” and that he had “read the book” documenting that history.

Committee members also discussed the administration’s approach to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and questioned whether USDA programs such as the 1890 (historically Black land‑grant) institutions and the 1890 National Scholars program would be fully implemented and funded as required by statute. Westhill said he would enforce statutory obligations under his authority and expressed support for the 1890 institutions and related initiatives he had supported previously.

Westhill characterized his mission as focusing on complaint processing, prevention (training and guidance), and accountability. He described his prior tenure as achieving measurable gains in investigation timeliness and EEO program performance and said he would seek to replicate those improvements. “If there are artificial or arbitrary barriers that are preventing anyone from doing business with USDA, customers, employees, or otherwise, we want to make sure that those are knocked down,” he said.

The hearing included no confirmation vote; the committee entered letters and reports into the record and left the record open for two business days. No formal committee action occurred during the session.