RFK Jr's promise to give Black farmers $5 billion that Biden admin 'stole' from them sparks outrage

WASHINGTON, DC: Independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr shared his proposal of giving $5 billion to Black farmers during a podcast interview with John Boyd Jr, the founder of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), reported Fox News.

The announcement came as the two discussed how Black farmers were unable to receive financial assistance from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which was allocated in incumbent Joe Biden's America Rescue Plan in 2021 after they incurred losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RFK Jr vows to give $5 billion to Black farmers

Kennedy Jr promised relief for Black farmers if elected. He told Boyd Jr on the podcast, "I can tell you that when I’m in the White House, you’re going to be out there the first week, I’m going to get rid of those people in USDA and get that money."

The latter proceeded to note that while the current administration has shown initiative to tackle student loan debt, it is not the "debt relief" Black farmers need. He stated that Biden's reelection bid would not have his support as the federal government has paid little attention to the "struggling Black farmers who are losing their land."

The USDA was allowed to foreclose on farmers who sought assistance from the $5 billion debt relief that would have been available in the American Rescue Plan Act, claimed Boyd Jr.

"That $5 billion is not money, that is an entitlement," stated Kennedy Jr. "It’s money that was a loan that Black farmers were entitled to way back then and was stolen from them through discrimination. You can testify it was personally stolen from you and that’s what the court found."

He mentioned that the USDA is "broken from the top down," adding, "If you were Black, you wouldn’t get it and that’s wrong … and I don’t think anybody who views the values of this country thinks that that’s a good idea so I’m going to fix that."

RFK Jr says Black farmers 'entitled' to $5B 'stolen property'

In 2021, the Biden administration planned to assist "socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers" recover from financial losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. The USDA's agricultural website defined "socially disadvantaged farmers" as "a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities."

It was challenged in court by two lawsuits, from the Wisconsin Institute For Law & Liberty (WILL) and America First Legal (AFL), which claimed reverse discrimination. WILL managed to get a nationwide injunction against the program, following which it was frozen and ultimately repealed in 2022.

Responding to Kennedy Jr's comments, deputy counsel of WILL Dan Lennington stated, "Providing benefits to Black farmers because they are Black, and excluding other farmers because they aren’t, is unconstitutional race discrimination. The Supreme Court has held that race may never be used as a negative against anyone, or as a stereotype to automatically provide benefits based on race. This proposal does both."

A statement shared by the Kennedy campaign read, "This is a return of stolen property, not an entitlement. Black [sic] farmers won a class action discrimination lawsuit and were awarded damages. White farmers — farmers of all races — have legitimate grievances, too. The system is stacked against small farms and family farms, slowly robbing them of their land and livelihood. I am going to break the vise grip of giant agribusinesses, and change regulations and subsidies to favor small farmers."

Internet slams RFK Jr's proposal to give Black farmers $5B

The internet was not impressed with RFK Jr's call to give Black farmers their 'entitled' 5 billion. 

"Pandering won't get him on the ballots," a user wrote on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) responding to the news.

"Black farmers? Why not all farmers? Retarded," trolled another.

"He can cut a check out of his own wallet and leave the rest of us alone," stated a third.

"Biden’s vote buying seems to be catchy," jibed a fourth user.

"let me see RFK give 5 billion to any one until he gets his hands on the taxpayers money," commented a fifth.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.