Claims Settlement Act Part 2

 Claims Settlement Act Part 2. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

The White House held another press conference again with reporters yesterday to discuss the next steps in the Claims Settlement Act of 2010. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes and Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli all took part on the call. The Act recently passed the Senate and Vilsack says it’s clear it needs to get done.

VILSACK: The President has been very clear to me in terms of USDA’s efforts that we are to treat farmers, ranchers and growers equally and fairly. That means not only making sure we are doing the right thing today but also righting the wrongs from the past. Civil rights has become a top priority of mine since coming to USDA and we’ve implemented a comprehensive program to correct past errors, to learn from our mistakes and take definitive action to ensure that all our customers are treated fairly.

Vilsack talks about the application process.

VILSACK: The proposal that has been passed buy the Senate and which has been agreed upon by USDA lays out a very complicated and very detailed method for individuals filing a claim, seeking compensation. They must qualify as a class member which means they have to be someone who filed a late filing request under the Pigford I consent decree sometime after October of 1999 and before June of 2008. In addition to being a member of the class they also have to furnish a detailed, complete claim form.

Payments will be made but only says Vilsack after all the accounting is done.

VILSACK: In addition to this we are also going to have a number of steps inherent in the review of these claims by the Comptroller General and the USDA’s Inspector General to make sure that we are performing the settlement process appropriately and that we are paying those who are entitled to payment. When it’s all said and done payments will not be forthcoming until such time as the court has ultimately approved the final counting.

He says he is hopeful that they can get passed this and move on.

VILSACK: We think that we have responded to concerns that have been raised throughout this process. We are hopeful the House will take action quickly because we’d like to put this chapter at USDA behind us and we’d like to be able to then focus our attention on getting other cases that have been pending against the department, at least give folks an option to resolve their claims.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.