Discrimination Claims & Sage Grouse Assistance

Friday Aug 12th, 2011 56 Views Northwest Report

Discrimination Claims & Sage Grouse Assistance. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers that believe they were discriminated against now have some recourse. The USDA resolution is making $1.33 billion dollars available for compensation according to Fred Pfaeffle, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Civil Rights.

PFAEFFLE: What we have is an alternative to litigation, intended to be expedited and it will require no Congressional action for the funding. The funding will come from the judgement fund that’s administered by the Department of Justice.

For additional information go to www.farmerclaims.gov.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced yesterday $21.8 million in additional financial assistance to help eligible farmers and ranchers in Wyoming conserve critical Greater Sage-grouse habitat. USDA's support aims to keep farmers and ranchers in Wyoming working on their land, while maintaining the land's economic viability. Over the past two years, USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service's Sage Grouse Initiative has obligated $112 million in financial assistance to conserve sage-grouse in 11 states, including Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

Now here’s today’s Washington Grange report.

(Grange)

That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.