Press Releases

Following groundbreaking investigative reporting from NewsNation, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the USDA’s Inspector General (IG), and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting a report within 90 days on the Biden Administration’s continued use of race-based, DEI criteria in loan relief programs for farmers, even after a federal court ruled it unconstitutional.

Read the full letter here or below:

"Dear Secretary Rollins, Comptroller General Dodaro, and Inspector General Sorensen,

"I am writing to urgently request a review of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs authorized by the Biden Administration. As first reported by NewsNation, socially disadvantaged farmers were provided additional loan relief in Section 1005 of the American Rescue Act. Picking winners and losers within American Agriculture is a disservice to both consumers and producers and deserves immediate attention. Simply put, this is racial discrimination.

“Specifically, Section 1005 provides funding for the USDA to pay off outstanding farm loan debts of up to 120 percent for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. As defined in Section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, ‘socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher’ means a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group, essentially ensuring white farmers could not receive loan forgiveness.

“As a result, several Caucasian farmers sued in federal court alleging that this provision was race-based and unconstitutional. Even though the federal court judge agreed that constitutional harm was found, the Biden Administration’s USDA did not cease their wrongful and racial distribution of assistance. In fact, the administration turned toward the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to continue offering assistance specifically for farmers with socially disadvantaged status. This is outrageous and any program based on race is inherently unconstitutional, racist, and wrong. Our nation’s farmers work sunup to sundown to feed, fuel and clothe the world, regardless of the color of their skin, and none of them deserve this type of discrimination.

“I am proud of the steps President Trump and his administration have taken and continue to take to eliminate DEI from our government. Which is why it is of the upmost importance we investigate these programs and their implications on American farmers. I implore you to complete a report outlining the scope of socially disadvantaged farmer programs under the Biden administration, their geographical reach, and their financial impact within 90 days.

It is essential that this egregious overreach never occurs again. Our farmers and ranchers should be empowered as the backbone of America.”

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