Thread by @VOCInsider

In the late 1990s, two class-action lawsuits on behalf of Black farmers led to the largest civil rights settlement in history.

Years later, Black farmers say the discrimination problems persist. 👇

Only 1.3% of American farmers are Black. Antwain Downs said he can count on his hands how many Black farmers he met when he was a child.

To change the statistics, Downs helped start an organization to mentor younger farmers like Adrian Nelson.

But now, a mixture of low commodity prices, extreme weather, and the pandemic are putting small farm operations at risk of disappearing altogether.
businessinsider.com/black-farmers-…

Recently, the $1.9 trillion #COVID19 relief bill included a $5 billion provision that will forgive debts for farmers of color.

But for over a century, Black farmers have faced discrimination from the @USDA and were largely excluded from federal loans.
businessinsider.com/black-minority…

A study commissioned by the USDA in 1994 found that loans to Black male farmers were 25% lower than those given to white male farmers on average.

Nelson, his brothers, and his father have relied on loans from the USDA.

That's where they say they've faced the most discrimination, having been denied loans or forced to take out more than needed.

Because of this, they've taken Downs' advice and found second jobs to make ends meet, something they say their white counterparts do not have to worry about.

Additionally, farmers in Louisiana had a record number of tropical storms and hurricanes on top of the pandemic in 2020.

Downs was in the middle of harvesting his soybeans when Tropical Storm Beta hit.

Despite the hardships, these farmers cannot envision doing anything else.

For the Nelson brothers, what gets thrown at them will not deter them.