The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) just made a huge policy change to benefit Black farmers on the federal level. The USDA is settling down by eliminating a 35-year-old program meant to assist Black farmers. This ruling has been rightfully met with outrage from education, civil rights and advocacy groups. This decision comes from two executive orders signed by former President Donald Trump this year. Among other things, those orders seek to end mandates and programs associated with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Thanks to USDA for its bravery in proposing to drop the term “socially disadvantaged.” This term has historically been used to describe Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian farmers who were discriminated against based on their race, ethnicity, or gender. The department’s policy change affects a program that provided assistance to approximately 43,000 farmers of various racial backgrounds who faced discrimination prior to 2021. Critics claim that this decision will continue to push current, more vulnerable farming communities to the margins.
A successful lawsuit brought by Adam Faust, a white dairy farmer from Wisconsin, was instrumental in changing this policy. His lawsuit shed important light on the greater issue. Faust contended that the $4 billion loan forgiveness program intended to help farmers of color was unconstitutional. He claimed to have experienced discrimination in three USDA programs: the Dairy Margin Coverage Program, Loan Guarantee Program, and Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
Democratic congressional leaders, including Maine Senator Angus King have expressed outrage at the USDA’s action. Most misleadingly, they claim that it will cause irreparable harm to Black farmers. Representative Shontel Brown from Ohio called the change “Trump’s resegregation agenda.” She claimed it endangers equity by dismantling important resources that localities and states require to ensure a fair and level playing field. Senator Raphael Warnock from Georgia sounded an equally strong note, highlighting his determination to make sure that Black farmers have access to the same resources as everybody else.
“It’s no secret that Black farmers were economically disadvantaged by the past intentional discrimination by USDA.” – Shomari Figures
The USDA’s Secretary, Brooke Rollins, defended the policy change by stating that the department aims to eliminate discrimination in any form while prioritizing farmers’ needs. She reiterated that the department will focus on upholding the law. It will further help make sure nobody is discriminated against due to their race, sex, or political orientation.
“Under President Trump, USDA does not discriminate and single out individual farmers based on race, sex or political orientation. Secretary Rollins is working to reorient the department to be more effective at serving the American people and put farmers first while following the law.” – USDA spokesperson
Tiffany Bellfield El-Amin, president and founder of the Kentucky Black Farmers Association, personally addressed her worries. She thinks that the new definitions of disadvantage do not reflect the complexities of the current American landscape. To do that, she insisted there has to be a reexamination of what it means to be disadvantaged on behalf of Black farmers.
“That’s why we adopt new ways of doing Underground Railroad-type situations. We’re gonna figure it out one way or another.” – Tiffany Bellfield El-Amin
Virginia farmer Lloyd Wright, 84, realized many of his fellow Black farmers would lose everything under the planned policy change. He’s sorely disappointed at the harm this will cause to their livelihoods. He reflected on the broader implications of redefining social disadvantage and remarked on the potential for a reexamination of definitions in future administrations.
“I don’t think I’m socially disadvantaged. I just happen to be Black, and they discriminated against me because I’m Black, and so I think it’s time that we straighten it out.” – Lloyd Wright
While debates around the meaning of these changes are still unfolding, Rollins doubled down on the USDA’s promise to treat everyone equitably. She noted that previous efforts to broaden definitions of social disadvantage had inadvertently encompassed too much of the population. This was a significant and important inclusion.
“In some cases, they started to broaden the social disadvantage to include the historically underserved, and if you add it up, it was about 80% of the population.” – Lloyd Wright
As negotiations over this policy proceed, many agricultural equity advocates worry about its lasting effect. Shomari Figures criticized the administration’s focus on divisive policies rather than fostering conditions conducive to growth in the agriculture sector.
“Instead of working to create more certainty for our nation’s farmers and adopting a stable trade agenda, this administration is focused on divisive publicity stunts that will hurt our agriculture industry long-term.” – Raphael Warnock