Marriott International, Inc. and the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) today announced a historical partnership that will
provide additional assistance to the minority farming community. Both
organizations will work to enhance outreach efforts to minority farmers
and provide expanded sales outlets for their products.
“We’re very proud to be part of this program,” said William J. Shaw,
President and Chief Operating Officer, Marriott International. “This is
the beginning of an alliance that promises tremendous benefits to all,
especially the U.S. minority farmer. Marriott looks forward to working
with the farming community and the USDA to build on this relationship.”

Under the agreement, Marriott will work with the USDA to identify minority
farmers in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern states that will benefit from
opportunities to provide products to the hospitality industry. In
addition, Marriott will provide training, technical assistance and
mentoring to these identified farmers, facilitating the introduction and
purchase of quality food products into the hospitality distribution
systems.

Marriott International, the first hospitality company in the world to
establish a formal supplier diversity program, today spends more than $150
million a year with over 10,000 minority and women-owned businesses.

In recent years, Marriott has received honors for its diversity efforts
from numerous organizations, including DiversityInc., Hispanic, Latina
Style, Working Mother and Fortune magazines, as well as the NAACP,
National Minority Business Council and Black Meetings & Tourism.
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