USDA Cuts Race and Gender Criteria From Rural Development Programs
Follows March rollback of equity scoring in broadband grants.
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture finalized a rule Thursday removing racial and gender criteria from many government programs.
USDA will no longer treat race and sex as qualifying factors under the “socially disadvantaged” designation across 13 programs supporting rural infrastructure, agriculture, and economic development. According to the final rule, the changes will ensure that USDA programs were “administered in a manner that upholds the principles of meritocracy, fairness, and equal opportunity for all.”
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins appeared determined to uncover and oust any remnant of Biden-era 'discriminatory' policies within her department.
“We are taking this aggressive, unprecedented action to eliminate discrimination in any form at USDA. It is simply wrong and contrary to the fundamental principle that all persons should be treated equally,” Rollins said.
The new rule builds on earlier USDA actions. In March, the Department removed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) scoring from 14 rural development programs, including broadband grants, such as the Community Connect Grant and the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant.
The rule finalized Thursday extends similar rollbacks to additional USDA programs, including some that fund rural energy, business development, and broadband infrastructure and planning.
For example, USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, used by cooperatives and rural providers to deploy broadband networks, was among those affected.
Other programs like the Rural Economic Development Program and Rural Business Development Grants, which occasionally support broadband feasibility studies or energy-related projects, will no longer factor in race- or gender-based priorities during award decisions.
USDA’s new rule comes in response to a January 20 executive order from President Donald Trump directing federal agencies to eliminate DEI initiatives in government funding programs.
The Department acknowledged the history of alleged discrimination in its farm loan and benefit programs, but believes its efforts to redress past injustices have sufficiently compensated those affected. Further remedies for race- and sex-based discrimination were no longer needed, nor legally justified, according to the USDA.
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