evidence: In the past century, Black farmers have not been on a level planting field. For years, they were systematically denied crucial U.S. Department of Agriculture loans for the purchase of land, equipment, seeds and livestock – effectively forcing many out of business. [...] The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s actions "caused a loss of millions of acres of Black-owned farmland over the last century, accelerating in the past 50 years," said Booker in his keynote remarks at the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey (NOFA-NJ) Winter Conference in January. [...] "When it comes to farming and agriculture, we know that there is a direct connection between discriminatory policies within the USDA and the enormous land loss we have seen among Black farmers over the past century," said Booker. "The Justice for Black Farmers Act will work to correct this historic injustice by addressing and correcting USDA discrimination and taking bold steps to restore the land that has been lost in order to empower a new generation of Black farmers to succeed and thrive."