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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is extending the deadline for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program to January 13, 2024. The original deadline was October 31, 2023.

The program has been receiving interest from thousands of farmers across the country who believe they experienced discrimination and would like to apply for financial assistance.

The new deadline will allow more time to reach and help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners through direct, no-cost technical assistance and training sessions. The extension will also ensure everyone has adequate time to apply, including producers whose harvest season falls during the original application period.

A new tutorial video is available to walk people through the features of the DFAP online application. This video answers some frequently asked questions and can be accessed any time of day for questions you may encounter outside of technical assistance events.

The video covers: 

• The process to create a new online application;
• Menu, navigational and key features of the online application;
• Requirements of the online application;
• Tips for resolving application errors;
• The process to certify and sign the online application; and
• Details on providing supporting documentation to the online application.

As a reminder, many more resources and FAQs are available on the program website under Resources & Documents.

A new flowchart on the DFAP program website provides an overview of the application review process that will take place after applications are submitted.

Dr. Ron Rainey, a USDA Equity Commission Member and Assistant Vice President and Professor for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, recently spoke about this program. Listen as he chats with Tonya Gray from Alcorn State’s Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center.

The National Young Farmers Coalition recently chatted with Stephen Carpenter and Lindsay Kuehn from Farmers’ Legal Action Group on Facebook Live about the application process, eligibility requirements, and other important information applicants need to know about the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) Application. This two-part series is available to watch at the links below.

• Part 1 – September 12
• Part 2 – September 19

Be wary of any communication through mail, email, or phone that solicits information from you or requests compensation. The program staff and cooperators may provide you with information on the program but will never request compensation from you. The program staff may request additional information from you but only after you have filed an application seeking financial assistance.

As a reminder:

• Filing an application is free. There are no fees associated with the application process or this program in any form. 
• No lawyer is required to apply. If you feel the need for legal assistance, seek the assistance of a trusted, licensed attorney. 
• The program staff can provide FREE help to assist in the completion of your application. Please contact the Program Call Center by email at [email protected] or phone at 1-800-721-0970 for more information. 

If you have information related to a potential scam, please contact the USDA Office of the Inspector General through their hotline complaint website: Hotline | U.S. Department of Agriculture OIG (oversight.gov) or reach them by telephone at +1 800-424-9121.

DFAP technical assistance and outreach teams, as well as USDA officials, will be present at Farm Aid this weekend in Noblesville, Indiana. Look for information at the Registration booth and in the HOMEGROWN Village.

Farm Aid works with local, regional and national organizations to promote fair farm policies and grassroots organizing campaigns designed to defend and bolster family farm-centered agriculture.

Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on the land. Dave Matthews joined the Farm Aid Board of Directors in 2001, and Margo Price joined in 2021. Farm Aid has raised more than $70 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture. Farm Aid is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America.