(Washington D.C.) August 14th  – The African American Mayors Association (AAMA) applauds the Biden-Harris Administration’s decision to disburse $2 billion in funding to thousands of Black farmers who have faced discrimination. This funding follows a letter from AAMA’s Board of Trustees calling for the swift payment of the funding owed to the farmers as stipulated in section 22007e of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

This effort is a display of the Administration’s commitment to Black farmers across the country and towards creating a path toward equity and building generational wealth. This vital funding is critical for Black farmers to sustain their farming operations and can help mitigate a 5% to 10% yield variance by providing essential support for the upcoming harvest.

“Our member mayors don’t just represent cities; we represent communities of all sizes––including rural communities––and all of our members understand the grave significance of supporting Black farmers who have historically been promised opportunities and then disappointed time and time again. We thank the Biden-Harris Administration for taking substantive action to rectify these historic inequities,” said AAMA President and Montgomery, AL Mayor Steven L. Reed.

“For nearly 30 years, victims of discrimination by the USDA have seen minimal relief for unfair lending practices. The Biden-Harris Administration has now directed $2 billion to over 43,000 Black farmers who were subjected to such unfair treatment, aiming to provide equitable compensation to all affected farmers,” said Greenville, MS Mayor Errick D. Simmons.

“For generations, African American farmers have fought to receive fair and equitable treatment in lending and government agriculture programs, and this funding is a significant step forward. We all owe gratitude and appreciation to the Black farmers across the country who have been an integral part of our economy and food supply, despite the obstacles they faced. The Biden-Harris Administration’s focus on these disbursements will support generational growth of Black family farms well into the future,” said Little Rock, AR Mayor Frank Scott, Jr.

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