Update: BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Grower Debt Forgiveness

Photo courtesy of Soul Fire Farm - www.soulfirefarm.org

​April 16, 2021: Please keep reading for updates on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) grower debt relief made possible through the American Rescue Plan.
 
USDA has published a Frequently Asked Question document (LINK to attached PDF – can this be hosted as an upload on our website?) which answers some of the most common questions farmers have raised so far regarding eligibility, notification, and process for receiving debt forgiveness.
 
USDA has additional information on their website. Here is a recording and link from a recent listening session: ppt slides here.

​A few key takeaways from that listening session:

• Farmers should contact their local USDA office to ensure they have a completed form AD 2047 on file to designate their race / ethnicity and status as a socially disadvantaged farmer. This is the single most important thing to address right now, as USDA will rely on these records to figure out which loans to forgive.
• Farmers will not be required to apply for debt forgiveness – it will be automated.
• Over the next week or so, farmers with a completed AD 2047 on file should receive a direct notification of their eligibility for debt forgiveness. They will likely need to verify the total amount and return to FSA.

A detailed FSA page can be found here, which includes several resources on debt relief, including the FAQ doc and eligibility: Eligible borrowers include those who identify as one or more of the following: Black/African American, American Indian, Alaskan native, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American, or Pacific Islander. The American Rescue Plan Act uses Section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 as the definition of Socially Disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
 
For important context about the impact of this overdue news on Black agrarian history, check out these two articles:

1. Civil Eats: https://civileats.com/2021/03/29/tracy-mccurty-has-worked-a-long-time-to-see-historic-wrongs-righted-for-black-farmers/
2. The Counter: https://thecounter.org/black-farmers-discrimination-debt-vilsack-american-rescue-plan-covid-19/

 
Please share this post across your networks to ensure that BIPOC producers across Arizona have information about this new resource.
 
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USDA American Rescue Plan FAQ