by: LatinTRENDS Staff
The long fight of Doña Ana County farmer Lupe Garcia may have come to a satisfying conclusion.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that it has made $1.33 billion available to Hispanic and female farmers who have alleged racial and gender discrimination in the awarding of farm loans. Awards of up to $50,000 are available.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, in a phone interview with the Sun-News last week, said his hope was that the settlement offer will resolve many of the legal claims now pending against the agency. Those who have filed claims in a lawsuit against the USDA can choose to take part of the settlement money, or continue with their court case.
“We’ve made an effort to turn the page on what has been a tough chapter for us in civil rights,” Vilsack said. “This is an effort to give folks a closure or an option for closure.”
For Garcia, the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit filed 11 years ago that grew to include more than 100 Hispanic farmers, the $50,000 maximum award may not be sufficient. He said he was hoping to collect an amount closer to his actual damages, which he declined to specify.
But for others, the certainty of an award may make more sense than taking their chances in court.
The USDA has a lot to make up for in terms of past racial practices. In February 2010, the agency settled similar claims made by black farmers for $2.5 billion. Along with the payouts, Vilsack said the agency is also revamping procedures to ensure that institutionalized racism will not happen in the future.
We see the settlement offer as a good first step, and hope that it will bring relief to a number of farmers.
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