USDA requests comments on financial aid to those discriminated in USDA farm lending programs.
The aid comes via provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which earmarked $2.2 billion for the effort for those affected by prior to January 1, 2021. Aid is limited to not more than $500,000 per recipient.
In the Federal Register notice, USDA said while the IRA provisions provide financial assistance to those affected, the effort is “more fundamentally about providing USDA the tools to rebuild that trust by directly acknowledging the wrongs that have been committed and taking concrete actions to offset those wrongs.”
What to Expect
USDA seeks input on how to identify those who experienced discrimination and what kind of evidence should be submitted to back up the claims. Factors that should be considered relative to the aid include:
- Whether only economic loss should be considered
- Whether previous payments for discrimination should be considered
- Where there are non-monetary ways to provide relief
USDA is also seeking feedback on using third-party entities in determining delivery of the financial assistance and on how USDA should use other programs in conjunction with the financial assistance to those who have been discriminated against in USDA loan programs.
Comments must be submitted to the Federal Register by Nov. 14. USDA has also set three public listening sessions on implementing the aid on Oct. 20 and 26 and Nov. 1.
More on USDA programs:
Minority Farmers Sue Over Repeal of the Debt Relief Program
Agricultural Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act
