WASHINGTON - House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's announcement regarding heirs' rights and land ownership issues: 

“I want to thank Secretary Vilsack and the USDA staff for standing up and rolling out the Heirs’ Property Relending Program that was authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill.  The decline in land ownership among Black farmers is a national tragedy, and I am thankful that Congress finally took steps to try and address heirs’ property issues in the last farm bill,” said Chairman David Scott.

“I am also thankful to our Ag Appropriations Chairman, Sanford Bishop, who provided funding to assist those who are working with families to ensure that land is not sold out from under them.  This is an issue that also impacts tribal members and Native American farmers and ranchers, and I am pleased that the Agriculture Committees are supporting efforts to protect the most sacred thing for agriculture producers, their land.”