We’re thrilled to announce a major step forward in our fight for equal treatment under the law. In the case of Strickland v. USDA, the court has officially granted our motion to send the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) back to the drawing board to fix the unconstitutional race- and sex-based discrimination baked into several of its agricultural emergency assistance programs.
The USDA has now admitted it can no longer defend the discriminatory policies at the center of this case. The agency has agreed to revise its challenged programs, and the court has ordered it to complete those revisions by September 30, 2025.
What does this mean?
It means the USDA must fix the unconstitutional programs it created. It means the agency now has to put together its programs without the bias and discrimination that initially prompted this lawsuit. It means Rusty Strickland—and countless other farmers and ranchers across the country—are one step closer to being treated equally, regardless of race or sex.
Just as importantly, the court has chosen to retain jurisdiction over the case while USDA revises the programs. This means the court is keeping a close watch to ensure that the government actually follows through—and it gives our legal team the ability to hold USDA accountable if they don’t.
This is a win for equal protection, accountability, and the Constitution, and Mountain States Legal Foundation will continue to keep pushing until justice is fully served.
