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Delta Farm Press

Program helps Black farmers recover from discrimination

The 33rd Annual National Black Farmers Association Conference (NBFA) was recently held in Natchez, Mississippi. NBFA leaders John Boyd, Jr. and Kara Boyd encouraged participants to apply for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program and reminded them to beware of fraudulent organizations seeking payment to assist with applications. Filing an application for the program is free, and free technical assistance is available.

“You never get over being treated that way,” Boyd said. “Discrimination tears apart family. When you lose your farm, you don’t just lose the farm.” 

Boyd, however, ultimately gained. He gained a will to do battle. And at this 33rd annual conference, he was doing battle for minority farmers and against those who would defraud them.

USA Today / The Tennessean 

US farmers can apply to USDA program for racial discrimination payout 

The Tennessean reported for a second time on the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, highlighting the extended application deadline of Jan. 13, 2024.

"We believe this is the appropriate action to take to ensure all eligible individuals wishing to apply are adequately informed about the program and have the opportunity to receive any necessary assistance," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

The Tennessean previously published an extensive Q&A about the program, which is available here.

Weekly FAQ

A frequently asked question posed to the DFAP team is: “How can an individual know if their application has been received?” 

The answer: How you will receive a receipt for your application depends on how you choose to submit it. If you drop a paper application off at a local program office, you should get a printed receipt on the spot. If you mail a paper application in, you should receive a receipt within a week; it will be emailed to you if you included an email address, and mailed to you if you did not include an email address. 

If you e-file, you will receive an automatic email receipt when you hit “submit” on the application. If you have not received a receipt when you should have, you can call the DFAP call center at 1-800-721-0970. They will look up whether your application has been received and arrange to get you a receipt if it has been received. 

New and Updated Videos on the DFAP

Now Available on YouTube

Several new videos are now available on the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program YouTube Channel for farmers, ranchers, and landowners to learn more about the program. 

The new videos – available in English and Spanish – include information on how to create an online account and log in; how to use the application dashboard and finding the status of your application, and how to close an application account.