The Biden-Harris Administration recently announced that it is distributing US$2.2 billion to farmers who experienced discrimination from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Black food producers are using the funds to improve their farms and make them more resilient for the future.

“This money will be a lifeline to farmers and ranchers across the country who in the past have been unfairly denied access to USDA lending and safety net programs,” says Senator Cory Booker, who advocated for the newly available funds

The money comes from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which provides financial assistance to 43,000 farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who were discriminated against by the USDA in the agency’s farm lending programs. According to Tracy Lloyd McCurty, Executive Director of Black Belt Justice Center, who recently met with Booker’s staff, Black farmers will receive US$1.5 billion of the total pool.

President of the National Black Farmers Association John Boyd calls the payout “historic.”

According to an NPR analysis Black farmers have consistently been left behind by the USDA’s loan system. In 1999, Black farmers joined the Pigford v. Glickman class action lawsuit against the agency, alleging discrimination that resulted in the loss of their land and farms. But when the case was settled, many who were eligible to receive a payout never saw their money due to overly confusing filing processes.