News, White House Report

Government Shutdown, Trade War Creates Double Whammy for Black Farmers

April Ryan
January 15, 2019

Reading Time: < 1 minute

National Black Farmer Association, Inc. President John Boyd, of Mecklenburg County, Va., and his mule "Struggle" take part in a demonstration by black farmers outside federal court in Washington Tuesday March 2, 1999 to express their opposition to a multimillion-dollar settlement of a discrimination lawsuit against the Agriculture Department. (AP Photo/Doug Mills) — National Black Farmer Association, Inc. President John Boyd, of Mecklenburg County, Va., and his mule “Struggle” take part in a demonstration by black farmers outside federal court in Washington Tuesday March 2, 1999 to express their opposition to a multimillion-dollar settlement of a discrimination lawsuit against the Agriculture Department. (AP Photo/Doug Mills)

Black Farmers are looking for their promised soy bean subsidies President Trump offered when the tariffs he put in place began to financially hurt the nations farmers. April Ryan speaks with John Boyd, Jr., Founder and President of the National Black Farmers Association about agriculture subsidy funds being held up by the government shutdown. In addition, the president’s trade war with China is driving down prices for produce like soybeans.

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April Ryan has a unique vantage point as the only Black female reporter covering urban issues from the White House, a position she has held with AURN since the Clinton era. Her position as a White House Correspondent has afforded her heightened insight into the racial sensitivities, issues, and attendant political struggles of our nation. April has written three books; The Presidency in Black & White: My Close-Up View of Three Presidents and Race in America, At Mama's Knee: Mothers and Race in Black and White, and Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House. Twitter: @aprildryan