“Black Farmers Receive $2.2 Billion in Financial Assistance: How the Biden-Harris Administration is Addressing Discrimination in Agriculture”
Handy Kennedy, the founder of AgriUnity cooperative, was seen counting his cows on HK Farms in Cobbtown, Georgia on April 20, 2021. The cooperative, comprised of Black farmers, was established to pool their resources and reduce overhead costs. This initiative aims to support and uplift Black farmers who have historically faced discrimination and lack of access to federal resources.
The Biden-Harris administration recently announced the distribution of $2.2 billion in financial assistance payments to over 43,000 farmers, forest landowners, and ranchers who were subjected to discrimination prior to January 2021. These payments are being made through the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
President Joe Biden emphasized the importance of supporting farmers and ranchers who have been historically marginalized and discriminated against in accessing federal resources. The administration’s efforts to address these disparities have been crucial in providing much-needed relief to those who have been underserved in the past.
The program, spearheaded by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, aims to eliminate discrimination within the USDA and rebuild trust with farmers who may have been left behind. The application process for the DFAP opened last July, and a year later, more than 43,000 individuals from various states and territories will receive financial assistance to support their farming operations or ease lost income.
Relief payments ranging from $10,000 to $500,000 are being distributed to individuals with existing farming or ranching operations, with an average benefit of almost $82,000. Additionally, over 20,000 individuals who were unable to start farming due to lack of access to USDA loans will receive assistance ranging from $3,500 to $6,000, with an average payment of $5,000.
John Boyd, the president of the National Black Farmers Association, noted that Black farmers have received approximately $1.5 billion of the funds allocated, emphasizing the significance of these payments for farmers in need. The completion of the DFAP marks a milestone in USDA’s efforts to address systemic issues and ensure equitable access to resources for all farmers.
Overall, the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to supporting marginalized farmers and addressing historical discrimination in agriculture is a step towards building a more inclusive and equitable farming industry. The financial assistance provided through the DFAP will help farmers stay on their land, contribute to the nation’s food supply, and pursue their passion for farming.