To tell Black people to wait means never. That's what I'm told. That seems to be the case now for Black farmers. Here are details that I'd like for you to know about.
In 2020 and 2021, Senators Booker, Warren, Sanders, and others introduced the Justice for Black Farmers Act on the senate floor. Everyone knew that it would go no where under the Trump administration, but at least it was in plain sight. Then, it was re-introduced in 2021, again was going nowhere, but this time there was a new senator in town, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock.
Senator Warnock moved several pieces from the JFBA into the new bill, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, and this bill immediately became a flash point for Black farmers. Now "Black farmers" were relanguaged to "Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers," consistent with 2501, well known in the USDA. It included a payment of 120%, complete debt relief for those who had suffered discrimination at the hands of the infamous county committee and its malfeasance and 20% for taxes.
A large number of white farmers and their attorneys, led by the chief wordmeister of some of Trump's efforts, some twelve class action suits were filed across the country, initiated by the lightening rod of an agriculture secretary here in Texas (also known for being a churchman as well as one who uses curse words to describe others with whom he disagrees including at time, Ms. Clinton) who claimed "reverse discrimination. Two district courts with conservative judges agreed with them and put a restraining order on USDA, forbidding USDA from forgiving the debt and paying the taxes of SDFRs. We believe that Vilsack, Secretary of Ag, slow-walked the process that allowed these ridiculous lawsuits to see the light of day. It should never have taken over 100 days for these farmers to have their indebtedness discharged.
Then, in 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This Bill, with its authors knowing what had happened previously, and knowing that conservative judges were sitting on the bench, many appointed by Trump, changed the language in the debt relief provisions to "distressed borrowers," defined as those farmers and ranchers who are at least two months in arrears of their indebtedness with loans to USDA or banks. The total in that provision of the IRA was $3.1B. Anyone distressed would qualify. Also included in the Bill was $2.2B for "discrimination" and those who could prove it.
See how wide open this have become? A department of agriculture that has discriminated against Black farmers for centuries, is now allowed to benefit anybody and everybody.
At this point, we know that Vilsack has released $700M to some 11K distressed borrowers early on. Now, of late, he has released another $193M to another group of borrowers. We have asked, in fact, a wide ranging group of people, have asked for an accounting of debt relief by race. The person in charge of equity efforts for USDA says that they are following the law and are not collecting that information despite the legislation that demanded it in the 2008 farm bill.
As I have said on several occasions, our efforts reach out across the country, and while it is not precise in our conclusions, we know of only nine Black farmers who have had their debts cancelled partially or totally. NINE. N...I....N...E.....
Here is a real life story of what is going on. More from ABC to come.
Along with this, the Bill did not contain any provisions for the payment of taxes. So, whatever the amount is wiped off the books, the farmer is required to pay 30 to 40 percent in taxes on that amount. At the moment, Senator Booker's office has negotiated with the Department of the Treasury and it looks like there will be a wash, and no taxes will be incurred. We are pleased with that. Time will tell if this is correct.
Our opinion is that Vilsack is doing what Vilsack does, privileging white farmers and tossing some scraps to Black farmers, and perhaps to other socially disadvantaged farmers.
Our opinion also is that once again, white farmers are benefitting from the pain and suffering of Black farmers. We see racism all over the USDA and from the man in the secretary's position, and the current actions under the latest two bills are evidence of that.
We know that he left Iowa in the wake of a huge class action suit of 6,000 Black employees of the State of Iowa.
All of this is why we demonstrated in front of the White House on March 1. Yes, that is the Demonstration that caught the attention of the Secretary who sent one of his employees to watch us and then later to intrude upon us in Senator Booker's office. Scroll down and you'll find two posts about those events.
Bottom line? Black farmers and advocates, myself included, are sick and tired of the acts of malfeasance on the part of USDA. We are weary of their pitiful efforts.
What do I observe? "An Obvious Lack of Political Courage," as the title of this post suggests. Who lacks courage? Here is the briefest of lists: President Biden, Secretary Vilsack, senators, and representatives who know better.
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