The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a socially disadvantaged group as one whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice without regard to their individual qualities.
[5] For the purposes of loan eligibility, section 355(e) of the Con Act[6] adds gender to the definition of a socially disadvantaged group.
Data from the 2017 census of agriculture indicates that women, considered socially disadvantaged under certain USDA definitions, operated 55.8% of farms and accounted for 29.1% of principal producers.
[7] SDFRs often encounter significant obstacles, including limited access to credit, technical assistance, and markets.
Historical discrimination has led to a substantial loss in the number of socially disadvantaged producers, reduced the amount of farmland they control, and contributed to a cycle of debt exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.