USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack was asked to weigh in on a legal challenge launched by a group of white farmers contesting USDA's debt relief efforts on behalf of Black farmers and other selected minorities.
The American Rescue Plan set aside $4 billion for the initiative, which provides unconditional USDA-held loan forgiveness for certain minority farmers along with extra funds to cover any potential taxes that arise.
The lawsuit, filed by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, alleges the move violates equal protection rights because it excludes white farmers solely on the basis of race. Vilsack said the debt relief moves aim to address past USDA discrimination against socially disadvantaged farmers -- defined under the legislation as Black, Hispanic, Native American and other racial minorities.
"We have reimbursed people in the past for those acts of discrimination, but we've never absolutely dealt with the cumulative effect," he explained. Vilsack said USDA will press forward with the debt relief program, even with the pending litigation. "I understand that litigation is going to be what it is, and we'll obviously have the Department of Justice and others do what they do," he commented.
However, Vilsack said the legal actions will not affect ongoing implementation of the effort in the meantime.