MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) — The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association is opting out of President Donald Trump’s $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, with the organization’s president calling the new funding program “racist.”
The association, based in Downtown Memphis and representing thousands of Black farmers across the country, announced it would take a stance against the program despite typically supporting farmer assistance efforts.
“Ordinarily, BFAA would not be indifferent to the plight of all farmers,” said Thomas Burrell, president of the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association.
Burrell said his organization had to oppose the program due to ongoing discrimination issues and exclusions in the aid package.
“In light of circumstances and events that have happened, over the last several years… culminating in denying African American farmers and the sons and daughters of African American farmers the same rights and privileges, that now the administration says it is going to make sure is guaranteed to farmers in general,” Burrell said.
President Trump announced the new aid program Monday, with payments scheduled for late February.
“We’re going to make the farmers so strong, and I’m not even talking about financially, because they just want to be able to produce what they can produce, and we’re going to make them so strong that it will be, indeed, a golden age for farmers,” Trump said.
However, Burrell said the U.S. has not entered into trade agreements with African countries, and the $12 billion program does not include farmers who harvest tobacco, sugar cane, peanuts, pork and livestock. Many of those farmers are Black, he said.
Burrell noted the historical impact of discrimination on Black farmers.
“African Americans owned 20 million acres of land in 1910, but as a result of systemic discrimination, have lost virtually all of that land,” he said.
The association president also referenced $4 billion meant for minority farmers by the Biden Administration due to discrimination, money he said never reached Black farmers after white farmers filed lawsuits to stop the payments.
“I think that it’s time that fairness becomes, in a very simple word, something that the government would embrace, fairness,” said Bishop David Hall.
“It’s not a matter of don’t give it to A, the question is if you’re going to give it to A, why are you not going to give it to B?” Burrell said.
The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association plans to file an injunction against the Trump Administration to stop the payments.
In response, the White House said, “The President’s announcement reflects the President’s commitment to helping our farmers, who will have the support they need to bridge the gap between Biden’s failures and the President’s successful policies taking effect.”
Click here to sign up for our newsletter!
Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. Please include the headline.
Copyright 2025 WMC. All rights reserved.
About The Author
More Stories
Officials removed exhibit on Black soldiers in WWII over fear of Trump’s ‘ire,’ emails show – The Times of Israel
The Killing of Black Women in America: A Public Health Crisis – UNM HSC Newsroom
From Paramount to CBS: How the Ellisons Are Building Unprecedented Influence Over U.S. Media and Israel Coverage – Black Westchester