Latino and Women Farmers Case press release.fin.1.21.11

NLFRTA National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Trade AssociationBoard of Directors For more information contact:John Zippert, Chair*Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, Epes, AL Rudy Arredondo, President of NLFRTA, Phone: 202 246-0677 Email:Georgia Good, Vice Chair*Rural Advancement Fund hola_5@hotmail.comOrangeburg, SCDorathy Barker, Treasurer* Angela Adrar, Rural Coalition Programs and Communications Director,Operation Spring Plant, Oxford, NC Phone: 202 439-7724, Email: angela@ruralco.orgTirso Moreno, Secretary*Farmworkers Association of FloridaApopka, FL For Immediate Release – Statement of National Latino Farmers and RanchersChilo Villarreal, Assistant Trade Association and Rural Coalition/Coalición Rural on USDA’s Updated andTreasurer* Mexico City, Mexico Improved Process to Resolve Discrimination Claims of Hispanic and WomenMily Trevino-Sauceda,Assistant Secretary* FarmersOrganización en California de LiderésCampesinas, Inc., Pomona, CA January 25, 2012Darnella Burkett Winston,Youth Representative*Mississippi Association of Cooperatives Washington, DC– For months, the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers TradePetal, MS Association and the Rural Coalition have worked directly with Latino producers asRudy Arredondo well as community based farming organizations comprised of Latino producersNational Latino Farmers and RanchersTrade Association, Washington, DC regarding the USDA’s process to resolve discrimination claims of Hispanic andDaisy GarrettRural Coalition Events Committee Chair Women Farmers. Although there exists a deep sentiment of disappointment withinJackson, MS our coalition that the courts denied class certification in both the Garcia and LoveSavi Horne cases, our coalition has worked tirelessly to advocate an acceptable and fairLand Loss Prevention ProjectDurham, NC resolution that assures equality, justice and dignity for Latino and Women producers.Starry Krueger We applaud today’s announcement by the USDA.Rural Development Leadership Network,New York, NYAnita Matt, Intertribal Agriculture Rudy Arredondo, President of the National Latino Farmers and Ranchers TradeCouncil, Moiese, MT Association expressed his deep gratitude to Secretary Vilsack for “demonstrating hisAttaquin Mills, American IndianMothers, NC commitment to equitable treatment of all ethnic stakeholder communities involved inMaria Moreira agriculture.” He pledge on behalf of his organization and Rural Coalition and itsFlats Mentor Farm, Lancaster, MA members continue working with USDA “to ensure that what this SecretaryRhonda PerryMissouri Rural Crisis Center accomplishes is institutionalized so we wont have to revisit that ugly discriminationColumbia, MO issue” that has ruined the livelihood of so many family farmers and ranchers.Victor QuintanaAt Large, Chihuahua, MexicoWillard Tillman “We are encouraged and pleased that the USDA has responded to the concerns ofOklahoma Black Historical Research Hispanic farmers that their settlement be as equitable as possible, and parallels asProject Oklahoma City, OK closely as possible the settlements in the other cases,” said Rural CoalitionChukou Thao, National HmongAmerican Farmer, Fresno, CA Chairperson John Zippert, “We are especially thankful to Secretary Vilsack, theCarlos Marentes, Chair Emeritus Attorney General, and President Obama for their action to increase the maximumBorder Agricultural Workers Project recovery level for producers who seek redress under the process to $250,000, in lineEl Paso, TX with the terms the settlements now in force in the Keepseagle and Pigford IIHubert Sapp, Chair EmeritusAtlanta, GA processes.”Patricia Bellanger, EmeritusAmerican Indian Movement “We also feel,” continued Zippert, “that President Obama has fulfilled his promise toMinneapolis, MN minority farmers by settling all these cases in a meaningful way.” We remainMarge Townsend, EmeritusNorth American Farm Alliance appreciative of the actions of this administration to secure a just resolution to all ofWindsor, OH the outstanding discrimination lawsuits, and celebrate this most recent breakthroughJohn Bloch, EmeritusMarkham Center, Montpelier, VT involving Latino and Women producers.Lorette Picciano, Ex-officioExecutive Director Savi Horne, Executive Director of Land Loss Prevention and long time advocate for *Executive Committee claimants of the Pigford and Keepseagle case, was encouraged that, “Secretary 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 601, Washington, DC, 20005 Phone: (202) 628-7160, Website: http://ruralco.org

Vilsack and President Obama, have fulfilled their commitment to pursue settlement of alldiscrimination lawsuits.” She also noted that as we celebrate these historic redemptive settlements,“we must continue to work to resolve the statute of limitation barriers that prevent the full resolutionof the program discrimination complaints at USDA and the Title VI complaints at USDA and otheragencies. Lets make use of Agency resources to settle these complainants as well. I have confidencethat only this Obama Administration can do so.”The Rural Coalition and our members and allies will continue to work with all the farmers andranchers we serve until all the outstanding claims are settled for every producer who has beensubjected to unfair treatment.The Rural Coalition, born of the civil rights and anti-poverty rural movements, has worked for 30 years to assure thatdiverse organizations from all regions, racial, and ethnic groups and genders have the opportunity to work in solidarityon the issues that affect them all. The foundation of this work is strong local, regional and national organizations thatwork to assure the representation and involvement of every sector of this diverse fabric of rural peoples.The National Latino Farmers & Ranchers Trade Association organizes farmers, ranchers and farmworkers;plus provides policy, advocacy and technical assistance. ###### 1029 Vermont Avenue, Suite 601, Washington, DC, 20005 Phone: (202) 628-7160, Website: http://ruralco.org

Latino and Women Farmers Case press release.fin.1.21.11

by Rural Coalition on Jan 25, 2012

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Latino and Women Farmers Case press release.fin.1.21.11 — Document Transcript