By, Marti Oakley

**Note: The article from “YES” magazine, referred to in this article, was dated July 6, 2016. Just two days before farmers from 18 states protested the USDA and its discriminatory practices in front of the Supreme Court. The article was a carefully timed and crafted propaganda piece. All information, data and statistics were obviously provided by USDA and simply compiled to make it appear that legitimate research had been done, when obviously, it had not.
As for the protest, I was left wondering just where all these civil rights icons were? What? No Jesse Jackson? No Al Sharpton? Where the hell was the NAACP?? (BIG)Blacks in Government? No?
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Sometimes while I am researching one thing, I come across valuable information on another topic. This was the case recently when an article in Yes! Magazine caught my eye.  Since last year I have been doing Whistleblowers! broadcasts which included black farmers discriminated against by USDA and they have a very different story to tell than the one relayed in YES!. And, they have the documents to back up what they have to say about their treatment at the hands of USDA..

These farmers never asked for special treatment. They are demanding only to be treated with as much respect, and with access to the same programs as others are.

The title “For Decades, the USDA Was Black Farmers’ Worst Enemy. Here’s How It Became an Ally” nearly made my head explode. I wouldn’t swear to it, but I think at that point lightening sparked here in my office. I read the article with interest, but realized it was a propaganda piece, carefully constructed with information most likely provided directly by interests at the USDA. Obviously no actual research had been done. Had it been done, the article would have read quite differently and would have linked to relevant documents and resources. There were none. More