After years of fighting against discrimination, Black and other minority farmers are set to receive $2 billion from the United States Department of Agriculture, according to an announcement from President Joe Biden.
These farmers have long struggled against systemic barriers, including discriminatory lending practices, denial of access to federal aid, and unequal treatment in the allocation of resources and support from the USDA. This settlement aims to address the historical injustices and provide much-needed financial relief to minority farmers who have been disproportionately affected by these discriminatory practices.
According to ABC News, most of the payments will go to farmers in Mississippi and Alabama. Over 23,000 farmers will receive payments between $10,000 and $500,000. In addition, another 20,000 who had planned to start a farm but never got a loan from the USDA will receive between $3,500 and $6,000.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack clarified in a statement that the payments are not a form of reparations, but are an acknowledgement from the USDA.
Although James Boyd Jr, the founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association is appreciative of the aid, he also believes that it does not address the group’s needs. “It’s like putting a bandage on somebody that needs open-heart surgery,” Boyd told ABC News. “We want our land, and I want to be very, very clear about that.”
Boyd and his organization are still fighting for debt relief for Black farmers who received approval in 2021. Though they have been approved for payments under the government’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package, that money was never actually given to them due to white farmers filing suits and claiming that the relief for Black farmers was discriminatory.
Congress then amended and broadened the law in order to avoid a legal fight from conservatives. The new law set aside $3.1 billion for farmers who were struggling to repay USDA loans and another $2.2 billion for farmers who were discriminated against by the USDA.
Little has changed, Boyd says. “We face blatant, in-your-face, real discrimination,” Boyd told ABC News. “And I did personally. The county person who was making farm loans spat tobacco juice on me during a loan session.”
According to a press release from the USDA, Black political leaders are praising the Biden administration’s move.
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock said, “While long overdue, today’s announcement is good news. These payments, which I was proud to secure, will go a long way toward helping Georgia farmers stay on their farms and get out of the red. We cannot forget that farmers waited over two years for these payments following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, and many more have waited decades after the botched Pigford settlements. These payments are a meaningful step forward in USDA’s long journey towards rebuilding trust with farmers who’ve previously faced discrimination.”
Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS) described the program’s necessity. “This program is crucial for Black farmers in Mississippi and across the country, who have historically faced systemic discrimination,” he said, but added a caveat. “These awards are a significant step in the right direction, but our work towards equity must continue.”
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