LDF Lauds Release of $2 Billion in Payments to Over 43,000 Farmers as Remedy to Discrimination in USDA Farm Lending

Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the distribution of $2 billion in financial assistance to over 43,000 farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who previously experienced discrimination when applying to USDA farm loan programs. These payments, provided through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), come two years after the bill was passed into law.

In response to today's announcement by President Biden and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Legal Defense Fund (LDF) President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson issued the following statement:

"Since 2022, we have called for the swift implementation of this IRA provision. Given the severe discrimination Black farmers have faced-as made evident by the nearly $326 billion dollars in land loss they've experienced-we are pleased to see these resources are finally getting to farmers and their families who have waited on this relief for decades."

"Initiatives like the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program that uplift and support Black farmers and other historically marginalized groups are vital to the economic survival of rural communities of color. This aid is a significant step forward in addressing decades of discrimination by the USDA."

"We commend the Biden Administration's continued commitment to correct past wrongs and acknowledge the federal government's critical role in providing recompense for its own discrimination. When more information emerges about the distribution of these payments and their impact, we will work to ensure the agency upholds its commitment to further remedying the effects of discrimination in farming, especially as it relates to serving the needs of Black farmers."

"As LDF works to advance equity across every sector of the United States' economy, it is incredibly important that we are not only righting past wrongs, but also creating opportunity for the future. We hope to continue working with the USDA and Congress to ensure that those who want to participate in agriculture can do so on equal ground."

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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation's first civil rights law organization. LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957-although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.