The purpose of this hearing is to receive testimony and written
statements reviewing the treatment of minority and limited resource
producers by USDA. We will receive testimony from the GAO reviewing
their January 24, 1997 report titled "Efforts to Achieve
Equitable Treatment of Minority Farmers". We will also hear
from the Land Loss Prevention Program that will give a statistical
representation paralleling the personal stories we will hear from
the 5 producer witnesses on the second panel.
I am not prejudging USDA on any of the cases we have read about
in media reports or on the cases that will be presented this afternoon.
I want to make one thing clear, however, racism in any government
department, agency or program is abhorrent and it will not be
tolerated.
I have called this hearing because I am deeply troubled by the
allegations of discrimination that some producers have publicized.
It is my intention for this hearing to create a record detailing
the allegations against the Department. Before we can attempt
to answer the allegations through our oversight capacity, we need
to hear first hand the treatment experienced by some producers.
That is the purpose of this hearing.
We have assembled a broad spectrum of producers that will tell
us the difficulties that they personally experienced with USDA.
I look forward to hearing their testimony.
I would now like to recognize the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Mrs. Clayton from North Carolina.