Local Hispanic Farmers Open Up About Federal Lawsuit

By Angela Kocherga

MESILLA VALLEY, NM – The Obama administration will pay African-American farmers and extra billion dollars to settle a discrimination lawsuit. Meanwhile, Hispanic farmers are in the same fight but have yet to see a dime. In fact, many have trouble getting courts to hear their case.

In Mesilla Valley, New Mexico, family farmers have worked their land for centuries.

“We were here before the pilgrims,” said Lupe Garcia.

But Garcia says rather than help, the Federal Government has hurt Hispanic farmers.

“They starved us to death,” he said. “They cut our wrists and let us bleed out and we fought and fought. We’re still fighting.”

Garcia is the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit filed by Hispanic farmers nationwide. The claim: discrimination. The farmers allege the U.S. Department of Agriculture denied or delayed loans and other aid they needed.

“A lot of Hispanic farmers lost their farms,” said Bobby Ortega, another Mesilla Valley farmer. “They lost ranches, they lost their livelihood. And now, they’re saying, ‘We don’t think that you were all hurt.'”

The Justice Department argued against Hispanic farmers when their lawsuit made its way to the Supreme Court. The Obama administration settled a similar lawsuit with African American farmers.

Garcia vows to continue fighting for equal treatment. Even as he watches his family farm slip away. Most of the land he works is rented. He once owned a thousand acres. Now, it’s only six.

“Treat us as equal Americans. Treat us all alike. It’s not right when they try to segregate us.”