African American tenant farmers in Fayette County, Tenn. were removed from the land where they worked in 1960. They had registered to vote in the segregated south.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/
Land Assistance Fund
http://www.federation.coop
contact: Ralph Paige
404 765 0991
[email protected]
MEETING WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE PIGFORD SETTLEMENT
Statement from Ralph Paige, Executive Director, Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund
ATLANTA.... Yesterday by invitation of the Obama administration, I attended a meeting at the White House along with other groups concerning the funding of the settlement of the Black farmer lawsuit against the USDA. We are very pleased to learn of Obama’s continuing support of the Black farmer lawsuit. It is clear that the administration is working diligently with Congress to seek the $1.25 billion for the settlement and that the President himself is committed to finally resolving this on-going lawsuit.
In the meantime, next week and in the on-going days and weeks, the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund and all the other members of the “Network of Black Farm Groups and Advocates” will be talking with and visiting Congressional members to encourage them to make the necessary funding available for the settlement. This will effect up to 65,000 black farmers throughout the country and will help put the discrimination that farmers have experienced behind us.
Note: The Federation/LAF, now in its 43rd year, assists Black family farmers across the South with farm management, debt restructuring, alternative crop suggestions, marketing expertise and a whole range of services to ensure family farm survivability.
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