New Law Prevents Discrimination in Farm Programs

House Budget Chairman Jodie Arlington announced a new law intended to ensure that government farm programs do not discriminate against farmers based on race or gender. This legislation, called the “There is no discrimination under the Farm Program Act,” was enacted on July 10 and codifies guidelines from the USDA.

The law prohibits the use of race and gender factors when determining benefits in various programs, such as farm loans and compensation payments. According to reports, it aims to uphold the values of meritocracy and equal opportunity for all farmers.

Arlington stated, “Disasters should not discriminate against farmers based on race or gender, and neither should government programs.” He expressed concern that during the Biden administration, disaster payments were distributed based on criteria unrelated to the actual impact of disasters, which he claims violates both laws and American values.

He emphasized pride in introducing measures against discrimination in the Farm Program Act, ensuring that future administrations will avoid such biased practices in funding distribution to protect rural communities.

In contrast, the previous administration’s approach involved promoting disaster relief based on the concept of “socially disadvantaged” farmers, leading to lawsuits alleging unconstitutional practices linked to race and gender. There were claims that certain farmers received assistance based on illegitimate grounds.

A federal judge had even temporarily blocked the USDA from distributing disaster relief based on these designations, highlighting the ongoing controversy around this issue.