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The radical left progressives have now turned their "social justice agenda" toward farmers.
They are taking identity politics to the farm and beyond, injecting "wokness" into American farming, proposing new banks for blacks and other minorities, special farming grants to black colleges, and land grants to blacks of up to 160 acres per grant.
These new farmers "of color" will receive USDA operating loans and mortgages on "favorable terms," including $4 billion in direct payments to the farmers of color, with millions going to "rooting out systemic racism in farming."
Be informed, not misled.
Democrat Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Raphael Warnock of Georgia both introduced bills that they say are aimed at addressing racial inequity in farming.
Booker's bill even calls for redistributing land to black farmers and correcting for historic discrimination within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), while Raphael Warnock's legislation will provide billions of dollars in direct aid to non-white farmers.
The co-sponsors of the "Act" include Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Sen Tina Smith (Minn), Sen. Patrick Leahy (Vermont), and Warnock (Georgia).
Follow the money
The Daily Caller says,
"The bill will take a number of steps to help train new black farmers, including funding to historically black college or university (HBCU) farming programs. It would also create a federally chartered bank to provide loans for black farmers.
And it would create an independent civil rights oversight board within the USDA, with the goal of "ending systemic racism" within the agency.
One part of the bill that has drawn a lot of interest is the new "Equitable Land Access Service" which would acquire farmland and grant that land to black farmers, with up to 160 acres available per grant. Additionally, these farmers will receive operating loans and mortgages on "favorable terms."
Is this a solution that will "root out systemic racism?"
Farmers across America have struggled due not only to COVID 19 but other factors as well.
The pandemic and the ensuing economic restrictions and shutdowns have greatly diminished demand. The decline in food demand from restaurant and hotel customers has cut deeply into farm revenues.
The collapse of oil prices early on hurt biofuel demand, which is something many farmers depend on.
Many farmers have had to euthanize livestock, dump milk and throw out perishable products due to the drop in demand. The decline in demand has resulted in lower prices being paid to farmers for their products, even though consumers are paying a little more at the grocery store or restaurant.
The USDA says that farm revenues are about $31 billion lower than expected. They have also projected revenues for 2021 to be about $22 billion lower than average.
When you put natural disasters and trade wars on top of the pandemic, you see the results: Family farms filing for bankruptcy in 2019 increased more than in any other year
There's nothing in these bills that focus on directly addressing these particular problems. Instead, they focus on the challenges faced by a particular subset of farmers, with targeted aid and programs restricted based on race.
Is this in and of itself racist?
Less than 2% of farms are owned by black Americans. Booker says he would like to see this number climb back up to the levels of 100 years ago, which was around 14%.
Meanwhile, farmers of all races continue to struggle across the country from the various external forces.
The takeaway.
For progressives, a war on anything---you name it, is never to be won, it's only to be waged because the struggle is the central theme. They don't want to win over poverty or racism or inequity or discrimination---they only want to fight the fight.
Because they want control.
In May 1964, more than 90,000 students and guests gathered on the University of Michigan campus to hear newly sworn-in President Lyndon B. Johnson deliver what would become known as his "Great Society" speech.
He began with an imperative, fist on the lectern promise, that it was time to "eliminate racism and poverty." He went on to outline his vision for moving "toward the great society," which would ultimately include federal subsidies for everything from Medicare and Medicaid to a sweeping program of education spending, beginning with preschool and continuing through college.
The "Great Society" would create new welfare programs, expand food stamps, give birth to Medicaid and Medicare, fund the arts, and more.
And most troubling, it would be a further departure from nearly 200 years of American tradition and founding principles. When questioned, LBJ said, "Yes, it will expand government a bit" but it is the path to prosperity, telling the American people "we must accept greater government activity in the affairs of people" to win the war on poverty.
Little did the people know what a destructive bargain they were making.
As the "War of Poverty" officially kicked off in 1965, many Americans believed that greater government involvement in education would surely win the war and break the cycle of poverty.
A massive infusion of money began to flow to public education---billions. Trillions of dollars.
Fast forward. Since then taxpayers have spent more than $2 trillion on K-12 alone---to say nothing of the billions spent annually on student loans and grants.
And our public education system has become a cesspool of social activism and indoctrination. Not so much about education anymore.
The same views that energized LBJ's "Great Society" and his "war of poverty" then are energizing the "Justice for Black Farmers Act" now.
I grew up in a farming community in central Washington---fields and orchards, populated with people of all races---some owned their own land, others worked for those who did. But it worked. Because it was based on the fundamental principles of capitalism. Not the shady, deceptive fundamentals of socialism and intrusive government.
The blacks who want to become farmers should have the opportunity to do it. But not this way.
They deserve better.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Prayerful.