Black farmers accuse the USDA of racism. The USDA appears to agree and vows to address 'historical d

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: USA Today

discrimination.'

WASHINGTON — The Department of Agriculture launched on Friday a commission aimed at addressing “historical discrimination” in agriculture, a sign the USDA is looking to overcome a decades-long history of systemic racism that Black farmers say has shrunk their numbers and kept families from building generational wealth.

The Equity Commission will help identify USDA programs and policies that have contributed to, exacerbated or perpetuated discrimination, the department said.

“The truth is, the deck has been stacked against Black farmers who for generations have been denied access to land and capital,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement to USA TODAY.

He vowed a "top to bottom" evaluation of decades-old farm programs to ensure they "more equitably serve" American farmers.



Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/black-farmers-accuse-the-usda-of-racism-the-usda-appears-to-agree-and-vows-to-address-historical-discrimination/ar-AAOM24l

[DURHAM D]

1. Call Shirley Sherrod.

She is a walking encyclopedia on this subject.

[wryter2000]

2. Do I remember correctly?

I believe the government had a program to help black farmers to make up for racism, but then white farmers sued because they were being discriminated against. I hope some real help can come that can't be blocked by white people.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Here --

Black US farmers awaiting billions in promised debt relief


By ROXANA HEGEMAN and ALLEN G. BREED
September 1, 2021

BOYDTON, Va. (AP) — There was a time when Black farms prospered. Just two generations out of slavery, by 1910 Black farmers had amassed more than 16 million acres of land and made up about 14 percent of farmers. The fruit of their labors fed much of America. Now, they have fewer than 4.7 million acres.

Black farms in the U.S. plummeted from 925,000 to fewer than 36,000, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest farm census. And only about one in 100 farmers is Black. What happened? They were able to overcome the broken promise of “40 acres and a mule” to the newly freed slaves — a military order, later rescinded. But over the last century, they faced one obstacle after another because of their race.

Farmers needed loans to expand, to buy seed, to bridge the time between harvests. But lenders — chief among them, the USDA — often refused to give them money, and often rushed to foreclose. Suppliers and customers undercut them. Laws of inheritance led to the breakup of homesteads.

Now the government wants to make amends by providing billions of dollars in debt forgiveness for farmers of color as part of the pandemic relief package. But a judge has put the money on hold in the face of lawsuits filed by white farmers claiming that the program is unfair — reverse discrimination.

(snip)

https://apnews.com/article/Battle-for-Black-Farms-e1034c6701f55a3a5362447e0354c4cd

[wryter2000]

5. Thanks

That was it. I hope the USDA is going to make some progress now.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. I know the Black Farmers org previously had a lot of problems with Vilsack

and opposed his re-nomination to that position after having served in it under Obama. However maybe he'll listen to a "new boos" - Biden and actually do something with the loans. I.e., this group - https://www.fsa.usda.gov/about-fsa/structure-and-organization/farm-loans/index

[BumRushDaShow]

3. It was a fiasco getting past Tom Coburn "holds" to finally get Pigford II appropriations resolved

and as it stands, the money still hasn't reached where it needs to - https://www.blackfarmers.org/blog/obama-pigford-ii-settlement-for-black-farmers-is-a-priority

[marble falls]

7. And this is a prime example of what Critical Race Theory adresses: Blacks are poor farmers, they're

all poor at almost all vocations. Meanwhile the DoA is not supporting Black farmers.

The state's position of not giving a fair support to Black Farmers because of a perceived notion Blacks can't farm, fits into the Racist meme: Blacks can't farm.

[ck4829]

8. Kick