Reuters 6/24/2021
A U.S. federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked a part of the Biden administration's federal stimulus relief package that forgave agricultural debts to farmers of color.
A white farmer named Scott Wynn of Jennings, Florida, in May had challenged U.S. President Joe Biden's plans as he faced farm loans and financial hardship during the pandemic. He said the debt relief program discriminated against him by race.
U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard blocked the government's $4 billion aid package to farmers of color on Wednesday, ruling that the plaintiff had established a "strong likelihood" of the policy violating his right to equal protection under the law.
Wynn, who is challenging Section 1005 of the American Rescue Plan Act, which provides debt relief to "socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers," is likely to succeed, Howard said in the ruling filed in the Middle District Court of Florida.
More:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-judge-blocks-4-billion-debt-relief-program-minority-farmers-2021-06-24/
