Over 350 South Dakota farmers are receiving financial assistance from a federal program aiming to address past discrimination.
The money comes from a Discrimination Financial Assistance Program added in the Inflation Reduction Act.
The USDA is providing the financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs in the past.
USDA officials said the program already provided assistance to over 330 South Dakotans, and they’re looking into adding nearly 30 more farmers to that total. Nationwide, the program is offering assistance to more than 43,000.
The department hopes to make farming “equitable” across the country.
