1. A Longstanding Struggle Under Renewed Threat
Black farmers in East Texas, already a small and dwindling group, are being hit hard by sweeping federal cuts to DEI programs. Third‑generation farmer Roy Mills describes the impact plainly: “Everything is at a standstill… We’re getting further behind in all the practices that were being implemented” The Texas Tribune. This setback arrives as the USDA under Secretary Brooke Rollins has canceled diversity efforts across 14 programs, axing 3,600 contracts and grants and saving more than $5.5 billion The Texas Tribune.
2. Loss of Critical Support for “Socially Disadvantaged” Farmers
These racial equity initiatives—designed to support “socially disadvantaged” farmers, including Black producers—have long served as a lifeline. Programs like the USDA’s 2501 outreach grants, which distributed nearly $200 million across more than 615 grants from 2010 to 2023, provided much-needed training and assistance KwitIllinois Newsroom. Their elimination makes it much harder for small-scale and historically marginalized farmers to access resources that are essential for training, capital access, and market entry.
3. Rapid Funding Terminations: Regional Impacts and Lost Infrastructure
The phase-out of DEI funding has also led to the dismantling of regionally critical programs. For instance, the USDA’s Delta Regional Food Business Center—one of twelve that provided up to $10,000 grants to small farms and food businesses in Texas and surrounding states—was closed, even though nearly 30% of Black farmers live in that region Capital B News. Losing such infrastructure leaves rural Black farmers without vital business support and market development channels.
4. The Bigger Picture: Systemic Disparities in Agricultural Aid
The crisis facing East Texas farmers is part of a broader, deeply entrenched inequality. National data reveals that Black farmers—just a sliver of U.S. producers—receive disproportionately low federal support. For example, under the COVID-related CFAP, Black farms received just 0.17% of all payments; on average, they got about half of what White farms received Mysite. Fueling this disparity are systemic issues like smaller farm sizes, limited access to credit, land retention challenges, and historically discriminatory USDA practices Wikipedia+1.
5. A Call to Action: Protecting and Empowering Black Farmers
These cuts represent more than just budget adjustments—they threaten the very survival of the region’s Black farming tradition. Advocates urge Congress and agency officials to step in. Reinstating DEI‑linked programs, safeguarding regional business centers, and ensuring technical support could help stem further loss. Meanwhile, farmers like Roy Mills hold on to a glimmer of hope, believing that small‑farm prosperity and community resilience could still be reclaimed—if given the chance.
