Honoring Juneteenth: A Call to Action for Black Farmers

This Juneteenth we reflect on the historic moment when President Biden signed a law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. While celebrating the perceived freedom of Black people is important, we must remember that true liberation requires more than performative gestures. On the eve of Juneteenth, we have an opportunity to take meaningful action in service of Black farmers and hold ourselves accountable to their needs.

Unfortunately, the long-awaited investment in socially disadvantaged farmers, as outlined in the American Rescue Plan, is currently on hold due to a temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge in Wisconsin. The lawsuit, brought by 12 white farmers represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, claims that the loan forgiveness program, which aims to allocate $4 billion to socially disadvantaged farmers, is unconstitutional and would cause them “irreparable harm.”

As a result, the judge issued a restraining order blocking the implementation of the debt relief, citing a potential violation of the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process clause. This means that no relief checks can be issued by the USDA while the case is pending. However, the USDA is still urging potential beneficiaries to update their AD-2047 forms and submit their eligibility letters to their local FSA offices.

The delays and obstacles faced by Black farmers today are reminiscent of the slow implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War era. It took two and a half years for the news of emancipation to reach Texas, the last Confederate state where the enslavement of Black people was still legal. Similarly, the Emancipation Proclamation only granted freedom to enslaved individuals in Confederate states, excluding bordering states loyal to the Union. It wasn’t until the ratification of the 13th Amendment in December 1865 that the enslavement of Black people was abolished nationwide. This historical parallel highlights the need to address systemic racism in our policymaking and acknowledge the work that still lies ahead.

Furthermore, this moment underscores the importance of race-based federal programming in achieving collective freedom and liberation. Anti-Black racism has plagued the agriculture industry for years, with the USDA concealing decades of discrimination against Black farmers and systemic racism leading to the decline of the Black farming population since 1920. 

Currently, Black farmers make up only 1.3% of the farming population, and their numbers continue to decrease due to ongoing discrimination. Shockingly, the majority of the $23 billion distributed through federal COVID-19 aid has disproportionately gone to white farmers. Federal agricultural policy must rectify its programs and implementation to better support BIPOC farmers, particularly Black farmers.

We commend the USDA for defending the intended implementation of the American Rescue Plan, which aims to provide debt relief to socially disadvantaged farmers. We stand in solidarity with organizations such as HEAL, the Rural Coalition, and the Intertribal Agriculture Council, who have issued a joint press release supporting this cause. We urge you to join us in rejecting the restraining order that hinders immediate relief checks from being issued by the USDA. Additionally, we encourage you to submit your comments to the Federal Register, expressing your support for equitable relief for Black farmers.

As individuals, we can make a difference by considering donating our time or financial resources to mutual aid funds that support collective liberation, such as the one established by Sweet Freedom Farm. Let us seize this Juneteenth as a catalyst for change and work together to create a future where Black farmers are not only celebrated but also provided with the resources and support they need to thrive.