Eva M. Clayton: “as I have often spoken to this body about the plight of black farmers, again I rise today to speak about the same…”

“as I have often spoken to this body about the plight of black farmers, again I rise today to speak about the same subject. Their problems and their possibilities transcend region and reach beyond where each of us lives and encompass a wide array of economic opportunities, and include not just black Americans but Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Indian Americans, and women. This issue also affects the disabled. A wheelchair-bound white male in Michigan has felt the sting of unfair, discriminatory practices at the hands of those charged with serving, through the Agriculture Department, all citizens who make farming a way of life. The plight of black farmers also affects those who reside in urban America as certainly as it affects those in rural America. What if the cost of milk was prohibitive for the average person? It is in many parts of the world. What if eggs and bread was not readily available, even for those who could afford them? That is the situation for some on other continents. What if fresh fruit, vegetables, or poultry could not be found on our supermarket shelves? There are supermarket shelves devoid of these products. Just a short time ago, many Americans were touched by the kind of discomfort that citizens around the world experience on a daily basis when the meat crisis ground some hamburger sales to a screeching halt. The fate of farmers and the fate of urban dwellers are inextricably tied together.”