President Donald Trump welcomed hundreds of farmers to the White House on Friday, in what the administration touted as a celebration of agriculture and American farm producers. On the South Lawn, decorated with a massive, obviously Trump-inspired gold tractor, the president hailed the event as the “single largest gathering of American farmers that the White House has ever seen.”
Noticeably missing from the crowd of farmers at the White House were the nation’s Black farmers, who have been repeatedly shut out of meetings and dialogue with the Trump administration, which has simultaneously eliminated several programs intended to address decades-long disparities impacting marginalized farmers at a time when many are facing foreclosures amid continued high costs in farm production, mortgages, and property taxes.
“I certainly asked to be a part of it,” says John Boyd, founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, which represents tens of thousands of Black farmers.
The longtime activist and farmer, who has repeatedly tried to advocate on behalf of Black farmers with the Department of Agriculture and the White House, tells theGrio he has heard “nothing from this administration.”
“For them not to invite us, they’re really saying, ‘We don’t want you to be a part of this administration at all,'” says Boyd, who told theGrio that a White House official had previously told him that the administration was “doing away” with farmers of color and DEI. The official told Boyd that farmers being prioritized “happen to be white,” emphasizing, “This is not about race.”
Upon learning about the farmers’ event, Boyd reached out to a Trump official at the White House Office of Public Liaison; however, Boyd’s inquiry to join the event went unanswered. A spokesperson for the White House did not immediately respond to theGrio’s request for comment.
President Trump praised what he described as his administration’s many accomplishments on behalf of farmers, even as input prices for land, machinery, seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers have risen. The president’s war is also driving up fuel costs, which are impacting farmers. Trump pointed to last year’s $12 billion aid announcement to farmers amid the financial firestorm created by his global tariffs, and the elimination of federal estate taxes, even though USDA’s own data shows that only about 0.3% of farm estates are subject to federal estate tax. Trump also announced that the Small Business Administration will issue a new loan program for farmers.
“My first year back in the White House, farm income has soared by 20%,” Trump falsely stated (USDA forecasts income in 2026 will decline). “The American farmers, ranchers, growers and producers, once again have a true friend and champion in the Oval Office.”
Despite the president’s remarks, Boyd says the Trump administration and its anti-DEI policies have been less than friendly to Black farmers. Cultural and systemic barriers largely shut out Black farmers from much of the USDA resources, in addition to the termination of grants and debt relief that was intended to help dig them out of financial ruin.
Boyd tells theGrio he has turned to the Congressional Black Caucus for help; as many as 190 of his members are facing foreclosures on their farms.
“The White House don’t want us, but these congressional districts have companies in them that represent some of these [agriculture] companies. Let’s bring them to the table and see what they can do to help us with these farmers,” he says.
As for being shut out of Friday’s White House convening of American farmers, Boyd said of President Trump, “[He] says that he’s not racist, but this shows racist tendencies right in your face.”
He added, “Why can’t the nation’s largest group representing Black farmers be at the table? He needs to tell the American people, why not?”
