The Equal Treatment for Farmers Act removes federal references to "socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers" from agricultural programs and laws, eliminating preferential treatment or targeted assistance currently available to farmers and ranchers based on factors such as race, ethnicity, or gender. The bill modifies eligibility requirements across multiple USDA programs including crop insurance, farm loans, conservation initiatives, and agricultural marketing programs, while generally preserving eligibility for beginning and veteran farmers. It also bans the Department of Agriculture from providing any preferential treatment, priority consideration, or enhanced benefits based on race or gender across all USDA programs. The legislation redirects 5 percent of environmental and conservation program funds toward beginning farmers and ranchers for fiscal years 2019 through 2031 and modifies payment caps for establishing perennial crops. This bill would fundamentally reshape how federal agricultural assistance is allocated by eliminating race and gender-based targeting in favor of a uniform approach to farmer eligibility.
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