Lubbock Congressman Fights Discrimination In Farm Assistance

Congressman Jodey Arrington of Lubbock is making headlines in Washington this week with a new bill aimed at making sure disaster relief and farm programs are blind to race and gender — and instead focused on the actual needs of farmers and ranchers.

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No Discrimination in Farm Programs Act

The legislation, called the No Discrimination in Farm Programs Act, would make the USDA’s July 10th final rule banning the use of race- or sex-based factors when determining benefits in programs like farm loans, indemnity payments, and disaster assistance permanent.

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Arrington says it’s about fairness, plain and simple.

“Disasters don’t discriminate against farmers based on their race or gender and neither should our government programs,” Arrington said. “These practices violate our laws and our values. I’m proud to introduce this bill to ensure future administrations never again use discriminatory factors when distributing critical farm program funding.”

Strong Support from Texas Agriculture

The Texas Farm Bureau is fully behind the move. President Russell Boening says opportunity in agriculture should be based on “merit, hard work, and the real challenges producers face” — not identity-based criteria.

The Texas Corn Producers Association echoed that sentiment, thanking Arrington for “making corrective actions permanent law,” while Rolling Plains Cotton Growers Secretary/Treasurer Kevin Corzine said past discrimination in USDA programs “defied the intent of Congress and the Constitution.”

Why Now?

This push follows a June 2024 ruling by the U.S. District Court in Amarillo, which blocked race- and sex-based considerations in USDA’s Emergency Relief Program after a lawsuit from Texas farmers in Strickland et al v. USDA. The court found those considerations unconstitutional.

Arrington’s bill would lock in the Trump Administration’s July 2025 USDA rule so it can’t be undone by future political shifts. Importantly, it would not remove considerations for veteran farmers, beginning farmers, or those with limited resources based on income.

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What It Means for West Texas Farmers

If passed, this bill would mean USDA programs — from emergency relief after a drought to long-term farm loans — would operate strictly on need and eligibility, without factoring in race or gender. Supporters say that ensures a level playing field for every producer, whether they’re growing cotton on the Rolling Plains, raising cattle in the Panhandle, or farming corn in the South Plains.

In short — Arrington’s trying to keep farm aid focused where it belongs: on the farmers and ranchers feeding America, not politics.