Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on a call with reporters Wednesday strongly criticized a farm bill draft written by U.S. House Republicans, saying it would damage the coalition that traditionally has united behind farm bills and “raises the real possibility of being unable to get a farm bill through the process.”
A shutdown would affect the nearly 7 million women and children who rely on WIC for healthy food. Free school lunch and Meals on Wheels are also at risk, and SNAP could be impacted eventually too.
The U.S. Agriculture Department is sending aid for debt relief to struggling farmers of color beginning this month. But many Black farmers distrust the department after decades of failed promises.
The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture says the American Families Plan includes billions in funding for agriculture and that will help farmers, including those in Georgia.
Generations of systemic discrimination have decimated the number of Black farmers in the U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack talked with NPR about new funding for debt relief.
