Change.org - Black Farmers

Rashaad believes that Joe Biden was elected in part by winning over Black voters – who turned out in record numbers to support him. But now, he’s worried the administration may be giving up on a key campaign promise. Earlier this year, a judge blocked a provision of the American Rescue Plan which offered debt relief for socially disadvantaged farmers – including Black farmers. Biden’s DOJ declined the opportunity to appeal the ruling, effectively cancelling $4 billion in funds from supporting any farmers of color. Rashaad is calling on the U.S. Government to release those funds. Release the Funds of The American Rescue Plan to Black Farmers Immediately! 1,973 have signed Rashaad Singleton’s petition. Let’s get to 2,500!

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The American Rescue Plan, signed by President Biden on March 11, included  $4 billion in debt relief payments for farmers categorized as “socially disadvantaged” by the United States Department of Agriculture, primarily farmers who are Black, Hispanic, American Indian, or Asian American. Borrowers with loans made by the Farm Service Agency, Commodity Credit Corps, and farm storage facility loans, or private loans guaranteed by the Farm Service Agency, are eligible. The USDA announced loan payments was supposed to begin in June, in stages, beginning with farmers with direct FSA loans. Nearly 16,000 minority farmers are supposed to have their debt paid off in full by the American Rescue plan, in what Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has called “a major civil rights victory.” Justice Department lawyers did something highly unusual the last couple of weeks of August 2021. They passed up the chance to appeal a judge’s order blocking a congressionally created program supported by President Joe Biden from going into effect. “It’s very unusual not to defend a statute that you support,” said Neal Devins, a professor of law and government at William & Mary Law School. “Maybe they fear a more consequential loss.” Black Americans were told that we are not Black if we don’t vote for Joe Biden. So if he needed the Black vote so much to win the election, how can he not appeal a judge’s decision that directly affects Black Americans in negative manner. We demand that the agreement be held up and that these funds be released immediately.

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