A federal judge in Wisconsin has ordered a temporary halt to a $4 billion federal loan relief program aimed at helping Black farmers and other farmers of color after years of longstanding inequities. The pause was ordered after White farmers argued that the policy discriminated against them.
Judge William Griesbach found in an order issued Thursday, June 10, 2021, that the White farmers “are likely to succeed on the merits of their claim” that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “use of race-based criteria in the administration of the program violates their right to equal protection under the law.” Griesbach issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Department of Agriculture from proceeding with the loan relief payments.
“We respectfully disagree with this temporary order and USDA will continue to forcefully defend our ability to carry out this act of Congress and deliver debt relief to socially disadvantaged borrowers. When the temporary order is lifted, USDA will be prepared to provide the debt relief authorized by Congress,” Matt Herrick, a department spokesman, told NBC News.
Twelve white farmers came together and filed suit against the USDA over the roughly $4 billion set-aside for loan forgiveness for “socially disadvantaged” farmers and ranchers in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed by President Joe Biden in March.
The Agriculture Department has interpreted “socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher” to mean individuals “who are one or more of the following: Black/African American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, or Pacific Islander,” the judge noted in his ruling.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told The Washington Post the program is needed to address longstanding inequities. “For generations, socially disadvantaged farmers have struggled to fully succeed due to systemic discrimination and a cycle of debt,” he said.
According to The Washington Post, only 45,000 of the country’s 3.4 million farmers are Black, down from 1 million a century ago. The department officials said about 17,000 farmers of color currently qualify for the assistance.
