Among its many misguided earmarks, the Democrat “COVID relief” bill signed by Biden on Thursday allocates billions of dollars in debt relief and other assistance to farmers of color. Now that the “Pelosi Payoff” is a done deal, Kelly Griggs, who runs her 1,800-acre farm with her husband in Humboldt, Tennessee, has a few questions about the provision.
“Just because you’re a certain color you don’t have to pay back money? I don’t care if you’re purple, black, yellow, white, gray, if you borrow money you have to pay it back.”
Yeah no, Kelly. Even worse, Griggs suggested, America’s white farmers find themselves in a “like it or lump” predicament, which “really sucks.”
“My reaction is, Where did common sense go? We can’t strike. We can’t stop. That’s the part that really sucks.
“These people in Washington who make decisions for us and our livelihood have probably never stepped foot on a real farm.”
“Where did common sense go, Kelly?” In a word, away.
Farmers react to billions in COVID relief bill for black farmers: 'Where did common sense go?' https://t.co/9nAYRYZpMK
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 11, 2021
Common sense is gone. Along with facts, data, history, and perhaps worst of all, logic. These are not among the qualities of the left, Kelly. On the contrary, Democrat lawmakers run from them as fast as their hypocritical legs can carry them.
As reported by Fox News, the “American Rescue Plan of 2021” includes an estimated $22.7 billion in combined nutrition and agricultural provisions, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Of the $22.7 billion, $4 billion is allocated to paying off up to 120% of Black, Hispanic, Asian, or Native American farmers’ outstanding debt as of Jan. 1.
Additionally, $1 billion is designated for “equity commissions”, agricultural training, improved land access, and other assistance to advance racial justice in farming.
The Covid bill includes billions of dollars in debt relief for black farmers. No, not just “farmers.” Just those with the correct skin color, duh. https://t.co/ZvGFCpmXtG
— OutKick (@Outkick) March 12, 2021
John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association, told Fox News in a statement before the House passed the relief package on Wednesday: “This is not in dispute.” And then the trusty “systemic racism” card:
“By denying or delaying Black farmers the same loans, subsidies and other payments made to white farmers, USDA engaged in systematic racism that led to a dramatic decline in the number of Black farmers.”