Biden Withdraws Support for Black Farmers, Boyd Calls for Farm Foreclosure Moratorium
| National Black Farmers Association Reclaiming, Regaining, and Regenerating Our Farms |
 |
August 2022 Lets Get Up to Speed We hope all of our subscribers are doing well and in high spirits. We took some time to make some changes and we’re back better than ever! Our goal is to strengthen the capability to provide support for small, limited resource and socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers and landowners. We aim to keep you informed, engaged, and connected to the network of farmers across the country. BREAKING NEWS Biden Withdraws Support for Black Farmers After fighting for debt relief for over 3 decades, Boyd was elated when the Emergency Relief for Farmers of Color was passed and signed into law by President Joe Biden last year in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. The program offered loan forgiveness to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (SDFRs), defined as those “belonging to groups that have been subject to racial or ethnic prejudice.” Shortly after, white farmers filed a lawsuit and tied up the $4 billion dollars that were promised to farmers of color. This lawsuit immediately stopped debt relief from being distributed. A year later, the debt-relief is still inaccessible and Black farmers and farmers of color are getting served foreclosure notices. Boyd met with Biden during the SC primaries to discuss the plight of Black Farmers and was promised a FaceTime meeting with him to discuss the ongoing struggles and delay of America’s Black Farmers getting the long sought-after debt relief.Unfortunately, the meeting with President Biden has yet to happen and now Section 1005 has been altered. What once read as “Debt Relief for Farmers of Color”, now reads as “Assistance for Certain Farm Borrowers.” The $4 billion dollars in aid has now been reduced to $1.2 billion. With these changes the debt-relief is now accessible to the 95% white farmers. Today, roughly 2% of farmers identify as Black or mixed race compared to 14% 100 years ago. For centuries, white farmers have been able to receive government relief with little to no problem, while Black farmers faced discrimination and neglect on local, state, and national levels. “I’m very, very disappointed in this legislative action,” Boyd said in response to reading the final bill passed by the Senate. “I’m prepared to fight for debt relief for Black, Native American and other farmers of color all the way to the Supreme Court. I’m not going to stop fighting this. USDA’s historical discrimination against Black Farmers was rampant and severe. Section 1005 Loan Repayment program was a necessary step towards fixing those harms. To acknowledge and correct racism is not unconstitutional or racist.”For more information visit: https://dlj.law.duke.edu/2022/06/arpa-%C2%A7-1005-and-black-farmers/Para información en español visite: https://hispanicprwire.com/boyd-presidente-de-la-nbfa-realiza-una-declaracion-oficial-sobre-el-retiro-del-apoyo-a-los-agricultores-afroamericanos-por-parte-del-presidente-biden/ Here are some of the things Founder and President, John W. Boyd, Jr. has been doing… He has been vouching relentlessly all over the country for Farmers Rights and their debt relief. Check out some of his recent interviews here: Farmer Issues Dire Warning of Food Crisis If Biden Refuses to Take Action | Fox News We’re in a Crisis in America | Fox News Push For Equality | Good Morning America Black Farmers Face Delays in Pandemic Debt-Relief as Prices Soar | MSNBC John Boyd Jr. Continues Fighting for Black Farmers in America | Discovery Plus Relief for Black Farmers Frozen Amid White Farmers’ Lawsuit | BNC News NBFA President Calls on Biden, Black Athletes & Influencers for Help After White Farmers Sued to Block $4B Debt Relief | Atlanta Black Star |
 On July 27, 2022, John Boyd sat down to speak against the FDA’s proposed menthol ban in Raleigh, NC. Here, he had the opportunity to meet and speak with Cheri Beasley (D-NC) and urged her to support farmers and rural communities.  John Boyd’s wife, Kara Brewer Boyd, has also been on the front lines of advocating for farmers. On July 20, 2022, she sat down with the Subcommittee on Environment and shared farmers climate concerns and the importance of implementing regenerative agricultural practices. Here, she is speaking with Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Photographed by Francis Chung AMERICA’S FARMS ARE WORTH SAVING!We call upon our fellow farmers, neighbors and friends to join John Boyd in his call for President Joe Biden to issue a Farm Foreclosure Moratorium to save American Farmers. The Biden Mortgage Moratorium must include foreclosure protection for USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Farm Ownership Direct and Guaranteed Loans as other Agricultural Loans while legislative remedies are being debated in Congress. Successful Farming: Black Farmers Leader Calls for USDA Foreclosure Moratorium Donate now to support the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), the Association of American Indian Farmers (AAIF), and the National Women’s Farming Association (NWFA). Support Family Farmers in America: GoFundMe Upcoming Events: 32nd Annual National Black Farmers Conference November 4th-5th, 2022 at St. Augustines University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Registration is free! Get your ticket here: Eventbrite NBFA Presentations will focus on providing information on Agricultural programs and techniques in the areas of farm credit and financing, networking, communications, skills, legal and social services, farm management teaching tools, international markets, and many more. Sessions will feature a variety of speakers followed by an opportunity to interact one-on-one with presenters from the US government, private companies, and non-profit organizations. |