CIVIL RIGHTS: Historic victory for Black farmers: $2 billion in relief payments announced

by NNPA Newswire Correspondent
August 3, 2024

By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior Writer
@StacyBrownMedia

(NNPA Newswire) – This week marks a monumental victory for Black farmers as they begin receiving payments from the $2.2 billion Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP). After decades of advocacy and struggle, John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), declared the day “a huge win.”

Nearly two years ago, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Section 22007, authorizing compensation for farmers who faced racial discrimination in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) farm lending practices before 2021. This week, around 43,000 farmers will receive payments of up to $500,000, with the average award being $82,000.

Reflecting on this long-awaited achievement, Boyd recounted his journey, which began almost 40 years ago when he first experienced these injustices.

“No matter how it is sliced, the $2.2 billion in payouts is historic,” he said. This follows previous settlements, including a $1 billion payout in 1999 and a $1.25 billion settlement in 2013.
https://afro.com/black-farmers-receive-payments-discrimination/