Capitol B - Lloyd Wright isn’t shocked that the US Department of Agriculture is reversing a 35-year-old policy meant to help Black farmers in favor of a race-neutral approach. But the 84-year-old, who grows soybeans and vegetables in Virginia, knows his fellow Black farmers will feel the damage.
Earlier this month, the agency announced that it’s eliminating the term “socially disadvantaged,” which describes farmers or ranchers who had been subjected to racial, ethnic or gender discrimination. It includes Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian groups.
“[The government] is going to take back the money – the little bit we were getting – and some of the outreach money will be crawled back,” Wright said. “Because they’re eliminating ‘socially disadvantaged’ and anything else dealing with DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion].”
The department adopted the language in the 1990 Farm Bill to deliver resources to minority farmers, including through the 2501 Program – an initiative that requires the USDA to ensure that historically underserved farmers have access to grants and other resources.
Now, the agency will drop the use of the term entirely and will no longer consider race or sex-based criteria in its decision-making process for programs. According to the decision, this move will ensure that USDA programs “uphold the principles of meritocracy, fairness, and equal opportunity for all participants”.
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