July 18th 2025.
The recent actions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under the leadership of President Trump, have caused concern for Black farmers who play a crucial role in feeding America, according to a report by KCUR. The agency announced a new rule on July 17, stating that they will no longer consider race and gender when distributing federal farm programs. This decision has sparked outrage as it goes against years of work to reform a history of discrimination in the agriculture industry.
Secretary Brooke Rollins defended the decision as a way to "eliminate discrimination" and promote equality for all individuals. However, this move has been met with criticism, especially from Black farmers who have been disproportionately affected by discrimination in the past. The 1990 Farm Bill was a step towards addressing this issue, providing support for socially disadvantaged farmers, including Black farmers, women, and veterans. But now, with this new rule, all of that progress is being undone.
President Trump's policies against diversity, equity, and inclusion have already had a negative impact on Black farmers. The administration has cut over 145 grants worth $148.6 million, causing a ripple effect on the country's food production. Roy Mills, a third-generation Black farmer from East Texas, believes that these continuous attacks on diversity will only result in setbacks for the industry. "Everything is at a standstill. And we don't know what the end is going to be," Mills said.
Mills and other Black farmers were not surprised by the dismantling of the program, but they were not happy to see it go. Despite the USDA awarding over 615 grants worth $200 million between 2010 and 2023, Mills argues that these efforts have not been effective in supporting Black farmers. In fact, the population of Black farmers in the U.S. has declined by 96%. Cindy Ayers Elliott, a doctor of economics, finance, and agriculture, attributes this decline to the lack of assistance from federal DEI programs. Through her urban farm in Jackson, Mississippi, Ayers Elliott has worked to combat food deserts in predominantly Black neighborhoods. She sees the new rule as yet another way the government is failing Black farmers. "If I was a turtle, I would be called an endangered species," Elliott said. "There are less than 40,000 Black farmers in America overall."
Agriculture advocates are also concerned about the impact of this new rule on Black farmers. According to Mike Lavender, policy director at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, the past few months under Trump's second term have only added to the uncertainty for the country's food system. In addition to other challenges, the lack of funding from federal programs is only making things more difficult for farmers. "They already have to deal with the weather. They already have to deal with pests and input prices. Limiting their variables, limiting the uncertainty, is always a good thing," Lavender said. "Unfortunately, what we've seen from the first six months or so from this administration is the injection, consistently, of uncertainty for farmers by freezing contracts, terminating projects unexpectedly, and canceling market opportunities."
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
