Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Promises To Pay Black Farmers $5B In Reparations, Despite Unconstitutional Ruling

by Sharelle Burt May 24, 2024 Black farmers – -who make up 1.4% of the country’s farmers — have continued to fight against discriminatory practices both currently and historically. Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy promises to pay Black farmers $5 billion in reparations.  During a podcast interview with the founder of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), John Boyd Jr., the candidate discussed his proposal and how Black farmers got the short end of the stick with financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under President Joe Biden’s America Rescue Plan in 2021. “I can tell you that when I’m in the White House, you’re going to be out there the first week; I’m going to get rid of those people in USDA and get that money,” Kennedy said.  However, that may be difficult as a federal judge paused Biden’s effort to provide $4 billion relief to farmers of color. In 2021, according to the New York Post, Judge William Griesbach ruled that the program doesn’t consider the financial status of applicants — only race.  Griesbach claimed there was no evidence of “intentional discrimination” by USDA in recent agriculture subsidies or pandemic relief efforts. Biden’s plan targeted...