Farmers of color sue government for promised federal aidDES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The federal government has illegally broken a promise to pay off the debts of a group of Black farmers, according to a class-action lawsuit.John Boyd Jr., president of the National Black Farmers Association and one of four plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said that the new programs don’t match the USDA’s earlier offer to pay off 120% of the debt of farmers who are socially disadvantaged.Meta oversight board urges changes to VIP moderation systemHolmes' former partner faces sentencing in Theranos casePanel calls for stronger leadership of FDA foods programRobinhood takes on retirement in search for more growth“My dad always said, if you give somebody your word then you should own up to it,” Boyd said.The federal government settled a lawsuit in 1999 filed by Black farmers and paid more than $2.4 billion, but court filings later acknowledged there were persistent problems in the USDA farm loan programs.Jermaine Walker, who grows corn, wheat and other crops near Pinewood, South Carolina, said the promised federal payments would enable him to save his farm from a bank foreclosure."