Is the USDA playing favorites with farmers based on race, even under a new administration promising fairness? The U.S. Department of Agriculture is under fire for allegedly continuing discriminatory practices against white farmers through diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, despite directives to prioritize equality.
The Washington Examiner reported that the controversy centers on accusations from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) that the USDA, led by Secretary Brooke Rollins, has failed to fully eliminate racially biased programs, with whistleblower claims adding fuel to the fire about past race-based loan relief.
Let’s rewind to the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, when the USDA began reviewing what they called the misguided priorities of the prior administration.
A press release boasted of reversing progressive agendas in the “First 100 Days,” aiming to put farmers first. Yet, according to critics, the old biases linger like a stubborn weed.
In February 2025, Secretary Rollins issued a directive to scrap all DEI programs at the USDA, emphasizing merit and color-blind policies. Sounds great on paper, but WILL argues the reality on the ground tells a different story.
By early April 2025, WILL sent a stern letter to Rollins, demanding the end of racial and sex-based preferences in three specific USDA programs, with a 60-day deadline before legal action.
Programs like the Loan Guarantee Program allegedly offer better terms—up to 95% guarantees—to women and minorities, while white male farmers are stuck at 90%, facing higher costs. It’s a small percentage, but in farming, every penny counts.
Then there’s the Dairy Margin Coverage Program, where a $100 annual fee applies only to white male farmers, while others deemed “socially disadvantaged” by USDA rules get a free pass.
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program also reportedly reimburses conservation costs at 90% for minorities and women, but only 75% for white males. If true, that’s not just a policy quirk—it’s a slap in the face to fairness.
On May 5, 2025, the entire Wisconsin Republican congressional delegation backed WILL’s demands with a follow-up letter to Rollins, urging an end to these practices. The USDA, however, has stayed mum, offering no response to either WILL’s threat of litigation or the lawmakers’ concerns. Silence isn’t exactly the golden strategy here.
Adding to the storm, a USDA whistleblower recently dropped a bombshell, claiming that under the prior administration, only minority farmers were notified via email about a $3.1 billion relief program for distressed borrowers under the Inflation Reduction Act. White farmers? Left in the dark, according to the insider.
The whistleblower further alleged that USDA staff were told to advise certain farmers to stop paying loans, hinting at forgiveness, while others weren’t given the memo.
“It was to pay off anyone who wasn’t a white male,” the whistleblower told NewsNation. If accurate, that’s not just policy—it’s a deliberate sidestep of justice.
Let’s not forget history: back in 2021, WILL represented 12 farmers in a lawsuit against a Biden-era loan forgiveness program that limited aid to specific racial groups under the American Rescue Plan Act. A federal court in Wisconsin issued a nationwide injunction, and the program was halted. Turns out, legal accountability isn’t just a suggestion.
Under the current administration, Rollins has directed the USDA to refocus Inflation Reduction Act funds on supporting farmers, not DEI or climate initiatives, even ending a pandemic-era pause on debt collections.
Yet WILL’s “Roadmap to Equality” report claims over two dozen racially selective initiatives still operate at the USDA beyond the three highlighted programs. That’s a long road to travel for true reform.
WILL isn’t holding back, demanding the Trump administration investigate the whistleblower’s claims, notify victims of discrimination, and hold past wrongdoers accountable through congressional hearings.
“For those no longer federal employees, USDA should work with Congress to expose wrongdoing,” said WILL’s Dan Lennington. It’s a call for transparency that’s hard to ignore.