(Reuters) - Black farmers involved in a decades-old discrimination case are questioning why the Obama administration has promised to hasten aid for some large-scale farmers in the South while their case is held up in political wrangling.
The administration pledged last week to find $1.5 billion to help farmers hit by natural disasters after it appeared unlikely the Senate would promptly fund the package.
Black farmers reached a historic $1.25 billion civil rights settlement in February to compensate them for being left out of federal farm loan and assistance programs for years due to racism, but are still waiting for funding.
There have been seven failed attempts by the Senate, including one last week, to fund the settlement.
The deadline for finalizing the settlement is on Thursday. If the administration does not step in with funds from other Agriculture Department programs, it will be the third missed deadline for the deal.
"At some point, you have to start questioning what is going on here," said John Boyd, head of the National Black Farmers Association.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67B02T20100812
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