Rush Statement on USDA Appointments to Newly Formed Equity Commission

Statement

Today, U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s announcement of the members of its newly established Equity Commission and its Subcommittee on Agriculture:

"For far too long, the cries of Black farmers in the U.S. have fallen on deaf ears. Discriminatory lending practices, bold-faced racism, and outright hostility to Black and minority farmers have been commonplace at USDA for decades. The consequence of this entrenched and widespread racism has been the stunning decline in the number of Black farmers from nearly one million a century ago to less than 50,000 today -- barely more than one percent of the U.S. farming population.

"Some of my earliest memories are from my grandfather's farm in Southwest Georgia. Like so many other Black farmers of his generation, my grandfather faced an uphill battle against prevailing racist attitudes and practices, which no doubt contributed to him ultimately losing his farm.

"The Equity Commission marks a major turning point for USDA and its efforts to right past wrongs and ensure that Black farmers get the resources, support, and fair treatment that they need and deserve. I applaud Secretary Vilsack's commitment to equity and his appointment of 15 highly-qualified individuals to the Commission -- including Illinois's own Ertharin Cousin.

"The newly-formed Equity Commission is a huge step in the right direction, and I look forward to seeing its recommendations to rectify historical injustices and improve the landscape for current and future Black farmers in the U.S. I am also excited about the brilliant and often overlooked opportunities that urban farming presents for increased minority participation in farming."

The USDA's 15-member Equity Commission and its Subcommittee on Agriculture will provide recommendations to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on policies, programs, and actions needed to address equity issues -- including racial equity issues -- and provide recommendations to the Secretary on systemic equity issues at USDA.The Commission was authorized and funded by the American Rescue Plan and will hold its first public meeting on February 28, 2022.

Rep. Rush -- who is new on the House Agriculture Committee this Congress -- has been a tireless champion of the cause of Black farmers and recently questioned Secretary Vilsack at a hearing about the dire need for additional aid to Black farmers. In June, Rush introduced the Farm Subsidy Transparency Act (H.R. 3794), new legislation that would require USDA to track and publicly disclose the race and gender of all individuals who receive farm assistance through USDA, as well as the amount of assistance received.

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