FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Contact: Antonette Kamara, antonette.kamara@berlinrosen.com
HEAL Food Alliance Condemns USDA for Disqualifying BIPOC, Women from “Socially Disadvantaged” Program Benefits
Nationwide – In response to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recent decision to no longer ensure that “socially disadvantaged” farmers including women, Black, Indigenous and farmers of color have equal access to USDA programs, the HEAL (Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor) Food Alliance released the following statement:
“The USDA’s recent announcement is an attempt to decree away the very real and lived experiences of BIPOC and women farmers and to continue denying credit, loans, and grant money to marginalized farmers,” said Nichelle Harriott, HEAL Food Alliance Policy Director.
“This erasure of BIPOC and women farmers ignores the direct role the USDA plays in the marginalization and exclusion of these growers and land stewards. Decades of discrimination do not suddenly disappear because it no longer aligns with Trump’s agenda.”
Many programs, like the popular conservation programs and those providing financial and technical assistance, help ‘socially disadvantaged’ farmers begin and sustain their farming operations. The Trump administration’s federal freeze earlier this year has already severely hindered the work of many organizations’ food access and distribution programs, which help ensure local communities and families have access to nutritious produce and fresh food. Without access to these programs, BIPOC and women farmers will have a much harder time feeding their communities.
Black, Indigenous, and other farmers of color make up just 4.5% of all farmers in the US, while white farmers still disproportionately receive over 97% of federal payments, according to the 2022 US Census of Agriculture. Decades of discriminatory practices by the USDA widened the gap between white farmers and BIPOC farmers. These actions resulted in denied services for farmers of color, many of whom lost their farms as a result.
In 2021, USDA created an equity commission that over the course of two years developed a comprehensive set of recommendations to improve outcomes for all farmers and communities in the United States. However, the Trump administration has pulled all records of the equity commission and their recommendations from the USDA website.
The discrimination BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ+ farmers face still remains, and the HEAL Food Alliance will not stop fighting for justice and better opportunities for these growers and producers.
About HEAL Food Alliance:
The HEAL (Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor) Food Alliance is a national multi-sector, multi-racial coalition. HEAL is led by its member-organizations, who represent about two million rural and urban farmers, ranchers, fishers, farm and food chain working people, Indigenous groups, scientists, public health advocates, policy experts, and community organizers united in their commitment to transform our food and farm systems.