Black Farmers President Calls For Action From BP

Statement issued by John W. Boyd, President, National Black Farmers Association

The National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) has thrown its support behind the farming and fishing families living in the shadow of the worst oil spill in history in the Gulf of Mexico, association president John W. Boyd Jr. announced Tuesday.

“We are concerned about the livelihood of those who make their living on the land and in the coastal waters who are affected by the oil spill. We extend our prayers and well wishes to the affected families,” Boyd said in a statement announcing his plan to visit the affected areas in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast.

The NBFA is seeking to meet with British Petroleum (BP) officials to discuss the losses to Black farmers and fishermen and others who often are hit hardest in such disasters. Boyd said those least prepared to sustain the income and property losses “must be compensated at the same levels as whites. We have finished last for too long when it comes to being compensated for our business and farm losses.”

Boyd said his upcoming visit to the area will allow him to assess the damages and meet with affected individuals out of concern for the plight of those hardest hit and least prepared for recovery work. “I am seeing frightening images of poor people, Blacks and whites, working on the cleanup process without protective goggles, boots or clothing. This is unacceptable. This spill will have long term health and economic consequences among the residents and workers of affected areas of the Gulf Coast.

“Even as the NBFA struggles to secure payments pledged by the Obama administration to thousands of Black farmers to offset discrimination in federal loan and subsidy programs, its members want to assist the victims of the BP well explosion and oil spill,” Boyd said. The NBFA, with its experience in advocating for justice for Black farmers, wants to assist similar efforts to assure fairness in the Gulf Coast area, he said.

”We want to assist Black farmers and fishermen to receive payment for damaged property, loss of income and long term issues associated with this spill. BP’s response to Black farmers and Black fisherman thus far has been unacceptable. I aim to press BP for justice for NBFA members and other people of color in this catastrophe.”

Boyd said Black fishermen and farmers and other persons of color in those occupations in the Gulf Coast region have faced discrimination similar to the unjust treatment of Black farmers over decades by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

BP’s response to Black farmers and Black fisherman thus far has been unacceptable. I aim to press BP for justice.

“Little has been done to address the losses of the Black fisherman,” he said, “just as there has been little effort to rectify the losses of Black land theft by the U.S. government.”

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