• According to USDA’s 2022 Equity Action Plan, “over the course of decades, congressional reports, internal data, civil rights investigations, court actions, and stakeholder testimony have documented this long history of inequity and discrimination against farmers from underserved groups, most often through institutional practices that administer credit and other farm support programs.” (Regenerate America 2022)
• Small- and mid-scale farms can implement resilience practices on-farm, but also need to be part of a larger resilient local and regional supply chain to thrive. (RAFI USA).
• Agricultural credit systems do not equitably serve BIPOC farmers, small farmers, beginning farmers, or farmers with diversified production. (RAFI USA).
• USDA needs to implement stronger Packers & Stockyards Act (PSA) enforcement rules to protect farmers, ranchers, and growers from corporate power abuses by massive meatpacking corporations. (RAFI USA).
• 75% of Black farmers have no insurance against losses from climate impacts. About 30% of Black farms rely on row crops, which without irrigation are more susceptible to climate fluctuations. (One Earth and Nature For Justice).
• Discrimination has caused Black farmers to lose approximately 90 percent of their land between 1910 and today. Black farmers accounted for 14 percent of all farmers in 1910. They now account for 1.6 percent; a 98 percent drop between 1900 and 1997. (Nickelsburg, M. 2021) (RAFI USA).
• Loan forgiveness for BIPOC farmers rectify decades of discrimination from the USDA and reduce the number of farmers who are delinquent on their loans to the USDA. (Nickelsburg, M. 2021).
• Small- and mid-scale farms can implement resilience practices on-farm, but also need to be part of a larger resilient local and regional supply chain to thrive. (RAFI USA).
• Agricultural credit systems do not equitably serve BIPOC farmers, small farmers, beginning farmers, or farmers with diversified production. (RAFI USA).
• USDA needs to implement stronger Packers & Stockyards Act (PSA) enforcement rules to protect farmers, ranchers, and growers from corporate power abuses by massive meatpacking corporations. (RAFI USA).
• 75% of Black farmers have no insurance against losses from climate impacts. About 30% of Black farms rely on row crops, which without irrigation are more susceptible to climate fluctuations. (One Earth and Nature For Justice).
• Discrimination has caused Black farmers to lose approximately 90 percent of their land between 1910 and today. Black farmers accounted for 14 percent of all farmers in 1910. They now account for 1.6 percent; a 98 percent drop between 1900 and 1997. (Nickelsburg, M. 2021) (RAFI USA).
• Loan forgiveness for BIPOC farmers rectify decades of discrimination from the USDA and reduce the number of farmers who are delinquent on their loans to the USDA. (Nickelsburg, M. 2021).