South Dakota News Watch is reporting a federal program aimed at helping new and minority farmers gain access to land and capital — including tribal members in South Dakota — has been canceled, dealing a blow to efforts to expand farming opportunities on reservations such as Lower Brule.
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Chairman Boyd Gourneau said the roughly $2 million the tribe hoped to secure through a U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative would have helped create a revolving fund for land purchases and supported local food production. The program, launched under the Biden administration in 2022, was eliminated in late March by USDA officials, who cited misspending, lack of results and opposition to programs tied to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Gourneau said the cutback will make it even harder for Native Americans to overcome barriers to farming, including high land prices, limited access to credit and a lack of generational assets. Two other programs serving South Dakotans were also affected.
Supporters say the program was the only federal effort focused on helping young and underserved farmers break into agriculture, at a time when many producers are nearing retirement. USDA officials defended the cancellation, calling the initiative wasteful and discriminatory, while Democratic members of Congress have urged its reinstatement, arguing the funding was required under federal law.
Comments