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Statement on Efforts To Redress Wrongs Against African-American Farmers

January 20, 2001

For too many decades, African-American farmers have labored in America's fields without a true share of this Nation's agricultural prosperity. And for too long, governmental neglect has contributed to the impoverished condition of the African-American farmer.

But the Government can right an old wrong. In December of 1997 Vice President Gore and I met with a number of people and organizations concerned with the plight of the black farmer in this country, including the National Black Farmers Association, the Southern Cooperative, and the Congressional Black Caucus. The Vice President and I learned at that meeting that since the early 1980's, thousands of black farmers had filed complaints of discrimination against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), but their complaints were ignored.

My administration has worked hard to improve the condition of the black farmer and to mend the relationship between black farmers and the USDA, and Secretary Dan Glickman and his staff have demonstrated unprecedented leadership in accomplishing that goal. After a group of African-American farmers brought suit in 1997 to seek recovery for years of discrimination, we worked with the African-American farming community to pass legislation allowing farmers to pursue those claims and then entered into a historic settlement. With the agreement nearing full implementation, almost $500 million in individual payments have been awarded to nearly 12,000 African-American farmers. In the process, we revitalized USDA's Office of Civil Rights, which was effectively dismantled in the early 1980's. We have also increased farm loans to minorities and women—a 50 percent increase between 1997 and 1999 alone.

The agreement between the black farmers and the USDA also calls for technical assistance and outreach. I am proud of the USDA and the Village Foundation for working in partnership to create the African-American Family Farm Preservation Fund, which will provide grants, loans, and training to African-American farm families to maintain their farms, establish a market system using products produced by African-American farms, and keep the public informed on issues related to African-American family farmers. In addition, USDA has cooperated with the National Black Farmers Association and its president, John Boyd, to increase outreach activities to limited-resource farmers. Together, these endeavors will ensure that a new generation of African-American farmers can pursue their livelihood without discrimination and with equal access to the assistance they deserve.

Redressing the wrongs against African-American farmers has been key to my efforts to building one America. I hope the next administration will continue in this path so that African-American farmers can fully participate in today's dynamic global economy.

William J. Clinton, Statement on Efforts To Redress Wrongs Against African-American Farmers Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/228031

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