(NewsNation) — A whistleblower recently told NewsNation that a Biden-era loan forgiveness program meant to help farmers was only provided to minorities, and passed over anyone who was white.
The whistleblower from the U.S. Department of Agriculture pointed to Section 1005 of the American Rescue Plan Act, which provided loan relief for socially disadvantaged farmers. It provided race-based loan forgiveness, granted only to those who qualified as socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.
White farmers from across the country later sued in federal court and alleged that the act was race-based and violated the equal protection clause under the Constitution. The judge in that case later found the loan forgiveness program was “an actual constitutional harm.”
GOP Rep. Mark Alford from Missouri joined NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” to talk about the loan program. He said it was not right, and equal weights and measures are needed when providing help for all farmers.
“The USDA needs to get back in the business of helping farmers,” Alford said. “Our farmers are going out of business. We are losing 1,000 farms a month, and our food security is national security.”
Alford added the program is “highly illegal,” and called it reverse discrimination. He also said he would be working to find out if farmers in his district were affected by the Biden administration’s program.
“This is ridiculous, farmers are hardworking people and they sacrifice so much to grow corn and soybeans in my district,” Alford said. “We should not be withholding aid simply because of their skin color.”
