The PPJ Gazette

Statement by Lawrence Lucas

The USDA Coalition of Minority Employees consider The Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color Act of 2021 to be the most pivotal civil rights legislation since The Civil Rights Act of 1964.   The Act will bring relief to thousands of Black farmers, minority farmers, who have been discriminated against by USDA for decades. The USDA Coalition of Minority Employees has been engaged in the struggle on behalf of both Black farmers and USDA employees since 1994. Our vision is to bring to light the horrendous mistreatment of both Black farmers and employees within USDA. The Act of 2021 will address discrimination at USDA by creating systemic changes within USDA and its organization.

By way of history, the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees and a number of other Black Farmer Organizations initially engaged with a number of candidates for President to assist them in understanding the historical discrimination within USDA and its racist history, Black land loss, and the loss of generational wealth for Black farmers. Our letter with well over 100 signatures indicates the depth of our support from both rural and urban farmers from around the country.

In early 2019 Senator Warren, along with Senator Booker and Senator Gillibrand, drafted The Justice for Black Farmers Act of 2020. The Bill’s comprehensive nature was gratifying to read as it addressed racism, complaint abuse, and inequities within USDA; creation of a “fire wall” between the Office of General Counsel and Civil Rights across USDA; the provision of debt relief; the opportunities to secure acres to farm; and policies that would address civil rights processing and administration throughout USDA.   Senator Raphael Warnock drafted the “Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color Act” and included it in President Biden’s $1.9 trillion-dollar COVID-19 relief bill.

We believe this is a new day for justice for Black farmers. While the Act specifically address the Black farmer issue, we see that the systemic changes that are included in The Act of 2021 will serve the needs of other farmers of color and USDA employees.

Short Quote:

The Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color Act and The Justice for Black Farmer Act of 2021 are the most important pieces of legislation since The Civil Rights Act of 1964. We are pleased to be a part of helping make both legislations a part of America’s civil rights history.

Lawrence Lucas, Present Emeritus