Black farmers are on Biden’s executive radar. The $1.9 trillion covid-19 stimulus package proposes $1 billion to assist racially maligned farmers and includes special commissions, agriculture training and other aid to balance the systemic injustice that is present in farming.
“By denying or delaying Black farmers the same, loans, subsidies and other payments made to white farmers, USDA engaged in systematic racism that led to a dramatic decline in the number of Black farmers. This is not in dispute” stated the president of the National Black Farmers Association namely John Boyd to Fox News.
“Sadly, this long legacy of discrimination is baked into USDA programs, including how payments to Black farmers like me continue to be calculated” Boyd expounded.
USDA statistics reveal that Black farmers accounted for about one sixth of farmers in the early 1900’s but less than 2% of farms were Black owned leading up to 2017.
The “debt relief bill” was suggested by Sen. Raphael Warnock and assesses “equal to 120 per cent of the outstanding indebtedness of each socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher as of January 1, 2021, to pay off the loan directly or to the socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher.” It’s set to offer “loan assistance” by using “however much otherwise unappropriated FY 2021 funds” that are deemed “necessary” according to Fox News & The Counter.
BY: BEWITTY Staff
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