House Republican Mark Harris on Monday introduced legislation to remove race- and gender-based classifications from federal agriculture programs following a Justice Department determination that such provisions are unconstitutional.
“Every farmer, rancher, and rural community deserves to be treated equally under the law,” Harris, a freshman member of the House Agriculture Committee, said in a statement. “USDA programs should be based on merit — not arbitrary classifications like race or gender.”
The legislation, titled the Equal Treatment for Farmers Act, would eliminate the term ‘socially disadvantaged’ from federal law governing U.S. Department of Agriculture programs. The USDA defines a ‘socially disadvantaged’ farmer or rancher as someone subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice due to group identity, regardless of individual qualities.
A USDA study has found that many farmers under this designation are concentrated in southern and western states.
In February, the Justice Department concluded that programs using such classifications are discriminatory. Solicitor General D. John Sauer notified House Speaker Mike Johnson in a letter that the department would no longer defend the constitutionality of race- or sex-based preferences in those programs, instead defending provisions using race- and sex-neutral criteria.
Harris said the bill is intended to ensure USDA assistance programs are based on merit and need rather than demographic categories. The legislation would amend or remove the ‘socially disadvantaged’ designation from multiple laws, including the Federal Crop Insurance Act, the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, and the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.
The measure also includes a provision prohibiting future USDA programs from offering preference, priority consideration, or enhanced benefits based on race or gender. It aligns with the Trump administration’s broader effort to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion provisions across federal programs, a priority reintroduced at the start of Trump’s second term in 2025.
Harris’ proposal is part of a wider push by congressional Republicans this session to codify those executive actions into law, with additional bills targeting DEI policies in areas such as higher education institutions that receive federal funding.
