USDA Avoids Discrimination Litigation and Offers Cash

Since its inception in 1862, the USDA has systematically discriminated against farmers of color and women farmers throughout the U.S. denying them access to grants, programs, and support staff services. It wasn't until 1996 that the USDA created a Civil Action Team to eradicate racism and address the flaws in the system that have mostly benefitted agribusiness. But this committee's formation proved a little too late. By the mid-nineties farmers of color especially, had largely eroded from our rural landscapes. "In 1920, one in every seven farms was African American owned. Today, only 1 in 100 farms is African American owned (USDA 1998, at 16). The decline of the African American farmer has taken place at a rate that is three times that of white farmers (USDA 1998, at 16-17)." This is why in 1997 African American farmers filed a class action suit against the agency which they eventually won. (Read more about it here.) Now is the time for reciprocity for women and Latino farmers too.

This week on January 25, the administration preempted the same sort of class-action suit involving Latino and women farmers saying, " "The Obama Administration has made it a priority to resolve all claims of past discrimination at USDA, and we are committed to closing this sad chapter in USDA's history," said Vilsack. "Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege past discrimination are encouraged to participate in an improved claims process in which they have the opportunity to recover up to $250,000 in damages." After posting this announcement on the Farmer Jane Facebook page, one woman farmer quickly replied, "Trouble being a lot of us were denied 'applying' for said loans, and therefore there is no paper trail." I recommend that even if you were denied during the application process and there is no paper trail, you should still pursue! We need to hold the USDA accountable even if they don't know how many employees they have (hopefully this isn't still the case!).

Here's the information from the press release for contacting USDA, or read the full release here.

"Individuals interested in participating in the claims process may register to receive a claims package, or may obtain more information, by visiting www.farmerclaims.gov. Individuals can also register to receive a claims package by calling the Farmer and Rancher Call Center at 1-888-508-4429."

And if you're not too keen on calling up USDA right away and you're a woman farmer that has been denied funding I would recommend that you call Leigh Adcock at the Women Food and Agriculture Network at (515) 460-2477. They have your best interests in mind!

Good luck!

Fresno - The Belly of the Beast

Fresno, California: The number one producing agricultural county in the entire U.S. also happens to suffer from some of the highest percentages of obesity and type II diabetes. One out of every three children and 70% of adults in the valley are obese despite the fact that fruits and nuts, vegetables and livestock are the top three products (respectively), that the county grows. The place, the people, the history of food production and the current situation is as much a demonstration of how awry the American food system has become, as much as it has the greatest potential for change. (It ain't the fruit that's causing the weight gain. It's primarily corn syrup and processed foods.) If Fresno can meet more of it's food needs locally instead of exporting all of its' products, if residents can grow more fresh foods and start reversing the detriments of industrial food on human health and land, then other parts of the country stand a chance too. No pressure Fresno. We're all rooting for you!

Thanks to all the great organizations here in Fresno that have invited me to come down, Fresno Metro Ministry and the Fresno Community Garden Coalition. USDA and CCROPP are also sponsors of the first ever, contemporary community gardening conference in Fresno. 'Contemporary' because I reckon that people used to meet all the time to talk about food when gardening was second nature.