USDA Ends Key Support for Black Farmers Following Trump’s Anti-DEI Orders

Overview

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially ended key support programs for Black farmers and other minority groups following a mandate from President Donald Trump to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As of July 2025, the department will no longer use the term “socially disadvantaged” and will stop considering race or gender as criteria for farm loans, grants, and benefit programs—abruptly ending decades of efforts to address documented discrimination within American agriculture.

What Changed?

• Elimination of “Socially Disadvantaged” Designation: The USDA will remove all references to “socially disadvantaged” farmers, a term that for more than 30 years provided targeted support to Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian producers, as well as women.
• No Race- or Gender-based Considerations: The new policy, effective immediately, bars the use of race or sex in program decisions for farm loans and grants, shifting all criteria to be “color-blind” and “merit-based”.
• Termination of DEI-Focused Programs: Over 3,600 related contracts and grants worth more than $5.5 billion have been canceled or frozen, with the USDA claiming to redirect resources towards the principle of “fairness and equal opportunity for all participants”.

Rationale from Trump Administration

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, appointed under the Trump administration, stated that the move was designed to end all forms of discrimination at the department. The policy comes in response to new executive orders from Trump specifically instructing the USDA and other federal agencies to terminate all mandates, preferences, and policies based on DEI considerations.

“Under President Trump, USDA does not discriminate and single out individual farmers based on race, sex, or political orientation. Secretary Rollins is working to reorient the department to be more effective at serving the American people and put farmers first while following the law,” a USDA spokesperson told reporters.

The administration argues that the department has already “sufficiently addressed” its history of discrimination through settlements, policy changes, and court-mandated reforms, rendering further race-based support unnecessary or unlawful.

Backlash and Concerns

Lawmakers and Advocates Respond

• Strong Criticism: Congressional leaders, such as Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio), have condemned the change, calling it a “deliberate and disgraceful step backward.” Brown argued that the new rule strips away tools meant to level the playing field for Black, Indigenous, and other minority farmers who have faced generations of discrimination from the USDA.
• Potential Economic Impact: Black farmers, who represent less than 1% of all American farmers—a number that has plunged by over 98% in the last century—are expected to lose out on vital support that was designed to counteract historical inequities. Without this support, advocates warn that many Black-owned farms could face economic peril or foreclosure.

• Local Food Systems at Risk: Experts and grassroots organizers highlight that these cuts threaten small and urban farms that deliver fresh produce to underserved communities, undermining food security and economic opportunity in rural and urban areas alike.

Farming Community Reaction

Black farmers have expressed shock and unease, noting that the withdrawal of “the little bit we were getting” will force many to scale back operations, lose land, or exit farming altogether. Lawsuits from white farmers, alleging “reverse discrimination,” were cited as part of the pressure prompting the policy shift.

Broader Context and Outlook

The USDA’s rollback aligns with a broader push across the federal government, under Trump’s directives, to eliminate policies and programs supporting specific racial or gender groups. This decision cancels support structures established under previous administrations and removes public access to data on lending to socially disadvantaged farmers.

While supporters of the policy claim it enacts a true meritocracy, critics argue it effectively erases decades of attempted remedies for deep-seated inequity and could further marginalize the country’s most vulnerable farm operators.

Key Facts and Statistics

Conclusion

The USDA’s end to targeted support for Black and other minority farmers, in compliance with Trump’s anti-DEI orders, marks a dramatic policy reversal. While advocates warn this will intensify inequities in American agriculture, federal officials maintain that all farmers now compete under a singular, “equal” system—despite the historic and economic context for many Black producers.