Challenges Faced by Farmers in the U.S.
First generation farmer Gale Livingstone and volunteers are planting seeds at Deep Roots Farm in Upper Marlboro, Md. Livingstone, a recipient of USDA assistance, faces uncertainty due to funding freezes. Black farmers, historically disadvantaged, are particularly affected by delays and inefficiencies in the USDA loan process. John Boyd Jr., a fourth-generation Black farmer, is leading a class-action lawsuit for debt relief promises unfulfilled by the government. President Biden's American Rescue Plan Act aimed to provide debt relief for socially disadvantaged farmers but faced backlash and was replaced with a race-neutral program.