Lujan and Lujan Grisham Lead Efforts to Address USDA Treatment of Hispanic Farmers and Ranchers
Washington, D.C. – New Mexico Representatives Ben Ray Luján and Michelle Lujan Grisham are leading efforts to ensure that Hispanic farmers and ranchers who have been discriminated against are receiving appropriate payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The New Mexico lawmakers have expressed concerns that USDA has approved a small fraction of the claims submitted as part of a $1.3 billion settlement to address allegations of discrimination against Hispanic and female farmers.
Earlier this month, Luján and Lujan Grisham wrote to the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Linda Sánchez, to encourage the CHC to take new steps to engage USDA on this critical issue to farmers and ranchers in New Mexico and across the country. As a result of their efforts, CHC sent a letter to USDA Secretary Vilsack yesterday requesting a meeting to discuss what steps USDA has taken to address discrimination reports.
“Hispanic farmers and ranchers who have been discriminated against deserve to be made whole, and it is concerning that so few people have been compensated following USDA’s settlement,” Rep. Luján said. “This impacts the livelihood of so many in my district, and I will continue to monitor the USDA to see that the agency is fulfilling its duty to right the wrongs of discrimination and civil rights violations against Hispanic farmers and ranchers.”
“Despite the progress we’ve made with the USDA, many Hispanic farmers and ranchers are not benefitting from the negotiated settlement,” Rep. Lujan Grisham said. “The civil rights violations should not have happened in the first place, which the Department has acknowledged. I’m pleased that the Hispanic Caucus is making this issue a priority so we can hold the USDA accountable for implementing the settlement.”
Below are the New Mexico Representatives’ letter to CHC and CHC’s letter to Secretary Vilsack.
The Honorable Linda Sánchez
2329 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
October 9, 2015
Dear Chairwoman Sánchez:
Hispanic ranchers and farmers in our districts have experienced significant civil rights violations and discrimination by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), particularly within traditional communities. In 2013, the USDA’s Office of Compliance, Policy, Training and Cultural Transformation conducted a Civil Rights Compliance Review of the Forest Service Region Two in Colorado and Region Three in New Mexico. The report found that both regions were non-compliant with several civil rights requirements and that regulations were inconsistently implemented.
In addition, the USDA has agreed to a $1.3 billion settlement to resolve allegations that Hispanic and female farmers were discriminated against. Unfortunately, payments made through this settlement to these communities have led to concerns that they fail to measure up to those made to other minority groups who have filed and won similar civil rights related class action lawsuits. According to a recent article in the Santa Fe New Mexican, just over 3,200 of the more than 53,000 claims submitted have been approved.
New Mexico has been blessed with a unique culture rich in history and tradition. These traditions have been maintained throughout generations and include traditional farming and ranching practices within Hispanic communities. Often these practices are carried out on land managed by the Forest Service under USDA’s direction. In the State of New Mexico, there are more than 9 million acres of land managed by the Forest Service, so it is with great importance that the USDA address this decades’ long discrimination.
Both of our offices have repeatedly raised this issue with the Department and know that similar issues have occurred with Hispanic communities across the United States. We know you share our concerns, and believe that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus should take new steps to engage USDA to help resolve these concerns. We hope the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will work with us to ensure that Hispanic farmers and ranchers are made whole from past discrimination and unfair loan practices by the USDA and to encourage the USDA to reassess its procedures for working with Hispanic and traditional communities.
Sincerely,
Ben Ray Luján Michelle Lujan Grisham
Member of Congress Member of Congress
* * *
October 28, 2015
The Honorable Tom Vilsack
Secretary of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250
Dear Secretary Vilsack:
We write to bring to your attention several reports that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) has received regarding the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) treatment toward Hispanic and Latino farmers and ranchers.
Many of our members have received reports from constituents indicating significant civil rights violations and discrimination by USDA. In fact, in 2013, the USDA’s Office of Compliance, Policy, Training and Cultural Transformation conducted a Civil Rights Compliance Review of the Forest Service Region Two in Colorado and Region Three in New Mexico, and found that both regions were non-compliant with civil rights requirements and that regulations were being inconsistently implemented. Although the report only examined two states, we believe these issues with USDA are wide-spread and affect Hispanic communities across the country.
The CHC receives weekly calls from farmers throughout the country, including California and Texas. Farming and ranching are rich traditions in Hispanic communities across the United States, but unfortunately, too many are still battling against discrimination. Many of these farmers tend to be older, with limited English, and no email addresses, and have been patiently waiting for USDA to right a wrong from years ago.
In addition, we’ve also heard concerns with USDA’s $1.3 billion settlement to resolve allegations of discrimination toward Hispanic and female farmers. The CHC has received reports that claims filed by Hispanic and women farmers have been denied at higher rates than those of other minority groups. We are concerned that the settlement process may be discriminating against the very people it’s supposed to benefit.
Finally, although the CHC has sent several meeting and update requests since April 2015 to discuss USDA’s Hispanic Serving Institutions National internship program, we have yet to receive any updates on the status of USDA’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. We would appreciate an update on this matter.
As we work to ensure that Latino communities are fairly represented and that Hispanic farmers and ranchers are made whole from past discrimination by USDA, we request a meeting with you to discuss what steps USDA has taken to address discrimination reports and what changes the agency has made to ensure compliance with Federal civil rights laws, rules and regulations.
Sincerely,
Rep. Linda T. Sánchez Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham
Chairwoman First Vice-Chair
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Rep. Ben Ray Luján
Member
Congressional Hispanic Caucus
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