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A Wisconsin-based dairy farmer, Adam Faust, has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), alleging race and gender discrimination in several farm support programs. Represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, Faust contends his status as a white male unfairly excludes him from benefits available to other farmers under key USDA initiatives .
The lawsuit targets three specific USDA programs: the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), Loan Guarantee, and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Faust claims that while women and minority farmers receive fee exemptions under DMC, he is required to pay a $100 administrative fee annually. Similarly, under Loan Guarantee, he notes a 90% federal loan guarantee versus 95% for minority and female applicants, and in the EQIP program, he is eligible for 75% cost reimbursements, compared to 90% for minority farmers .
Faust previously won a lawsuit against the USDA’s Farmer Loan Forgiveness Program in 2021, which was later repealed following a court ruling of racial discrimination. He argues that these new allegations carry moral and financial implications: lower guarantees mean higher interest rates, and reduced reimbursements directly raise operational costs .
Faust claims the USDA continues race- and sex-based classification despite President Trump’s 2025 executive order prohibiting such preferences. After his April and May communications with USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins—which included backing from six Republican Wisconsin congressmen—he saw no policy reversal, prompting the suit filed on 16 June in the Eastern District of Wisconsin .
The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief to prevent the USDA from applying these biased classifications in the DMC, Loan Guarantee, and EQIP programs, declaring them unconstitutional under equal protection guarantees .
Conversely, John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association, criticized the lawsuit, noting that Black farmers remain among the most disadvantaged and in need of continued support—underscoring complex equity dynamics within these USDA programs .
Policy scrutiny: The case could lead to USDA program reevaluation regarding race and gender-based criteria.
Legal precedent: Success could influence policy beyond dairy, shaping the administration of federal agricultural aid.
Equity debate intensifies: Highlights the tension between past redress initiatives and claims of reverse discrimination.
