Modern day 40 acres and a mule?

[NorthDallas40]

Is there a shortage of farms in the country? Is there a market for the new produce/livestock? If the answer to these questions is no then this is a disaster of a program.

A small farm with an inexperienced farmer is a recipe for insolvency and the large commercial farms will gobble up all of this land when these farms inevitably fail.

 

[hog88]

A small farm with an inexperienced farmer is a recipe for insolvency and the large commercial farms will gobble up all of this land when these farms inevitably fail.

Developers will snatch it up quicker than other farms.

 

[TNVOLNAVY]

Nope. Belgian Endive is the key. Wonder how many heads this flies over?

I’ll admit it flew over my head but now that you mention it, that must be the end goal. I can see it all now. Corporations (think RJ Reynolds) owning the pot market, black farmers growing and selling their annual crops to the highest corporate bidders, all controlled and taxed by the Gubmint. It will be just like tobacco business that used to thrive here in the south.

 

[1972 Grad]

I’ll admit it flew over my head but now that you mention it, that must be the end goal. I can see it all now. Corporations (think RJ Reynolds) owning the pot market, black farmers growing and selling their annual crops to the highest corporate bidders, all controlled and taxed by the Gubmint. It will be just like tobacco business that used to thrive here in the south.

What I meant was that I wondered how many people would remember Dukakis suggesting that Iowa farmers grow some crop that they had never heard of, in order to stay afloat. He was mocked for the statement............like how can a guy who has never stepped foot on a farm think he can tell me what I should grow?.

 

[NorthDallas40]

Developers will snatch it up quicker than other farms.

I hate this idea. You can see how it’s going to get abused and it screams for deed restrictions. But then I wind up saying it’s their property so let them use it as they see fit and no nanny state restrictions. Just hate the whole idea...

 

[hog88]

I hate this idea. You can see how it’s going to get abused and it screams for deed restrictions. But then I wind up saying it’s their property so let them use it as they see fit and no nanny state restrictions. Just hate the whole idea...

Deed restrictions would be deemed "racist" so forget that. The whole "land grant" plan is a stupid idea but considering the bills sponsors no one should be surprised.

 

[volinbham]

A small farm with an inexperienced farmer is a recipe for insolvency and the large commercial farms will gobble up all of this land when these farms inevitably fail.

Not only that but artificially increasing supply when demand isn't growing will only serve to drive down prices and spread the same revenue over more sellers. IOW, this will not help the intended recipients while at the same time will hurt existing farmers. The solution of course would be more subsidies...

 

[NorthDallas40]

Honestly this looks like another classic use for this meme. Anything the gov does is going to screw somebody. Working as intended I guess

 

[1972 Grad]

Not only that but artificially increasing supply when demand isn't growing will only serve to drive down prices and spread the same revenue over more sellers. IOW, this will not help the intended recipients while at the same time will hurt existing farmers. The solution of course would be more subsidies...

Sounds like a perfect project for government bureaucrats.

 

[loggervol]

this sounds like a perfect Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac situation. Give land and then bail out the program with more money.

 

[MG1968]

What I meant was that I wondered how many people would remember Dukakis suggesting that Iowa farmers grow some crop that they had never heard of, in order to stay afloat. He was mocked for the statement............like how can a guy who has never stepped foot on a farm think he can tell me what I should grow?.

According to Biden ( or some other idiot) they could just learn to code if their farm fails.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Otherwise, we have this thing called Zimbabwe and the trouble such things caused when you "redistribute" lands.

Also, with regards to Zimbabwe. I didn't see anything in that article where it stated it was kicking people off of their farms and replacing them with black farmers.

The federal government owns obscene amounts of land. If I recall correctly, the federal government is the largest landowner in some western states. I'm all for them relinquishing control of most of that land, but it shouldn't be distributed along racial lines.

If I had to guess, I would say most of this would almost have to be Federal land. There is nothing in that article that I read that said anything about uprooting people off of their land.

 

[Grand Vol]

No and no.

Oh, just imagine the reaction from AOC when it happens to be cattle farms lol

 

[Grand Vol]

Also, with regards to Zimbabwe. I didn't see anything in that article where it stated it was kicking people off of their farms and replacing them with black farmers.

It doesn't go into a specific Zimbabwe situation, however the article title of "reclaim lands" as well as Booker's comments on the matter doesn't instill confidence.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

You of all people know if (or when) the government gets involved, it's never going to be "reasonable."

As I said, if a person has a legal claim to the land and we aren't being absurd about the timelines here, yes, the case should be heard. But as @hog88 pointed out, such people have to be willing to use the land for the intended purpose and be trained in such a thing. Now, it's not just that, but do you realize how expensive running a farm is or the initial startup costs of machinery, implements, irrigation setup, so on and so forth?

Oh, I'm sure there will be plenty of strings attached on it. Personally, I don't need it, but if I had (direct) family that was impacted by some of these practices in the past and was a farmer right now, I don't see it any differently than what the government has done before with some of their homesteading acts.

Homestead Acts - Wikipedia

The homestead was an area of public land in the West (usually 160 acres or 65 ha) granted to any US citizen willing to settle on and farm the land. The law (and those following it) required a three-step procedure: file an application, improve the land, and file for the patent (deed). Any citizen who had never taken up arms against the U.S. government (including freed slaves after the fourteenth amendment) and was at least 21 years old or the head of a household, could file an application to claim a federal land grant. Women were eligible. The occupant had to reside on the land for five years, and show evidence of having made improvements. The process had to be complete within seven years.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

It doesn't go into a specific Zimbabwe situation, however the article title of "reclaim lands" as well as Booker's comments on the matter doesn't instill confidence.

Rest your troubled soul... I'm sure there will not be national guardsmen rolling up on farms in the Deep South kicking 2A white folk off of their lands. At worst, maybe (maybe) the govt buying back parcels or (likely) just finding some acreage in another location not connected to the original parcel.

 

[Grand Vol]

Oh, I'm sure there will be plenty of strings attached on it. Personally, I don't need it, but if had (direct) family that was impacted by some of these practices in the past and was a farmer right now, I don't see it any differently than what the government has done before with some of their homesteading acts.

Homestead Acts - Wikipedia

Again, I'd have no problems with such a thing. But that link Hog provided has me troubled as to the "no land deed" family situation. I understand land being passed down, but how far should a claim go?

I'd actually prefer if the .gov granted land (again from the 300+ million acres they own) to Ag programs at HBCU institutions. I would trust them to mange this "new generation" over the government getting involved. You go to school, get educated, get granted the land, put your schooling to work.

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

‘Justice’ bill would transfer up to 32 million acres to Black farmers

A new USDA agency, the Equitable Land Access Service, would administer the program. The USDA would buy land from willing sellers at fair market value for use in the program. Up to 20,000 grants of 160 acres would be made annually through 2030. Recipients would be new or experienced Black farmers. Beginning farmers would be required to complete a training program.

Well, in that case, if they have to buy the land...

 

[Grand Vol]

Rest your troubled soul... I'm sure there will not be national guardsmen rolling up on farms in the Deep South kicking 2A white folk off of their lands. At worst, maybe (maybe) the govt buying back parcels or (likely) just finding some acreage in another location not connected to the original parcel.

Dude, you don't have to argue all the time with me...

I never implied nor am I worried about the NG rolling up lol

Again, what should concern you:

The government getting involved

Booker introducing it

The government being involved

Prominent socialist Senators supporting it

The government being involved

No clear lines of ownership

And most importantly, the government being involved

 

[Rasputin_Vol]

Dude, you don't have to argue all the time with me...

I never implied nor am I worried about the NG rolling up lol

Again, what should concern you:

The government getting involved

Booker introducing it

The government being involved

Prominent socialist Senators supporting it

The government being involved

No clear lines of ownership

And most importantly, the government being involved

Like I said, with the govt being involved, I know for a fact that there will be strings attached. Plus, people are going to have to apply for it. I doubt you get many takers. The few takers that you would get, however, will most likely be farmers or their families that were impacted.

As a taxpayer, I would feel much better about the USDA doing this rather than the USDA giving out a bunch SNAP/EBT cards.

 

[happy-go_vol]

So... where are they getting that 160 acres per person from?

Bill that could help Black farmers reclaim millions of acres 'a step in the right direction'



Now, I'm all about making a case to give land or equal valued property which were taken unlawfully. But you damn well better make sure that person receiving it has legal claim to it. Furthermore, the government holds a metric butt-ton of land that could easily be repurposed for such a thing without going through all the trouble of trying to figure out who has legal claim to what.

Otherwise, we have this thing called Zimbabwe and the trouble such things caused when you "redistribute" lands.

Just another Welfare program. Nothing more.

 

[Grand Vol]

Why would blacks get the land? White people had it before blacks.

And technically Native Americans had it before white people.

What's your point?

 

[happy-go_vol]

this sounds like a perfect Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac situation. Give land and then bail out the program with more money.

They'll just pay them when they lose money

 

[happy-go_vol]

And technically Native Americans had it before white people.

What's your point?

Point is, you'll never be able to assign land to black people accurately. I know indians had it before, i didn't want to go that far back.

 

[Grand Vol]

Like I said, with the govt being involved, I know for a fact that there will be strings attached. Plus, people are going to have to apply for it. I doubt you get many takers. The few takers that you would get, however, will most likely be farmers or their families that were impacted.

As a taxpayer, I would feel much better about the USDA doing this rather than the USDA giving out a bunch SNAP/EBT cards.

I would agree with the use of the USDA on that regard. However, as with all things government, the conditions will be thoroughly relaxed before long since there are few or no "takers" for such a thing.

Again, I agree with you in the fact if lands were seized either unlawfully or through racist motives, equal value and profitable land should be considered as "payment."

However, I do not agree to the buying and selling of land that may have become generational since that happened back maybe a hundred years ago. Again, the USG has plenty of arable land it could easily part with without spending money they don't have. Put it on a tax deferment or something for 10 years to help, but again, the government getting involved is not the answer.