Gordie's Midday Gossip - Black Farmers Get Paid

US pays $2bn to Black and minority farmers after years of discrimination

John Wesley Boyd, Jr., center, founder, and president of the National Black Farmer's Association, speaks during a news conference near the U.S. Capitol, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Washington, about the filing of a class action lawsuit against the United States Government claiming it breached its contract with socially disadvantaged farmers under the American Rescue Plan Act. Boyd is joined by, Lester Bonner, left, and attorney Benjamin Crump, right. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

By Gordie Daniels

August 01, 2024 at 1:09 pm EDT

The Biden administration has doled out more than $2bn in direct payments for Black and other minority farmers discriminated against by the US Department of Agriculture, the president announced Wednesday. More than 23,000 farmers were approved for payments ranging from $10,000 to $500,000, according to the USDA. Another 20,000 who planned to start a farm but did not receive a USDA loan received between $3,500 and $6,000.

Most payments went to farmers in Mississippi and Alabama. USDA secretary, Tom Vilsack, told reporters that the aid “is not compensation for anyone’s loss or the pain endured, but it is an acknowledgment by the department”. John Boyd Jr, founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, said the aid is helpful. But, he said, it’s not enough. “It’s like putting a bandage on somebody that needs open-heart surgery,” Boyd said. “We want our land, and I want to be very, very clear about that.”