Democrats Abandon Race-Based Loan Relief After White Farmers Sue

Congress has quietly replaced a farm loan assistance program for racial minorities that was under threat from White farmers’ legal challenges.

The new provision no longer mentions race. Instead, it provides loan relief for distressed borrowers and additional aid for farmers, ranchers, and foresters who have experienced discrimination. The change comes after White farmers claimed the program, established by the 2021 American Rescue Plan, discriminated against them by specifying that loan assistance was available only for socially disadvantaged groups.

Supporters of the pivot — including some Black lawmakers — say the workaround is more legally airtight and will quickly get ...