Government agents discriminated against "black" farmers

Race does not matter or does it? Black farmers will probably tell you that race does matter. Black farmers were denied loans from the United States Department of Agriculture during a time period between 1983-1997 years. Farmers needing loans to keep their farms by planting their crops and farming equipment.

About 10 years ago, the USDA owned up to discriminating in their lending practice and signed a consent agreement int he Pigsford case :

In 1999, USDA entered into a consent agreement with black farmers in which the agency agreed to pay for past discrimination in lending and other USDA programs. Thousands of claims have been adjudicated, but other claims were not considered on their merits because problems with the notification and claims process hindered some farmers’ ability to participate.

Some farmers did not get paid and lost their farms. Nevertheless, the farmers get the rare second bite of the apple, under the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008. The bill gives these farmers the right to file a new claim in federal court. According to Sunday Washington Post, at least one farmer who did get paid, John Boyd of Virginia, works tirelessly to get the word out to those farmers who have not died off

In addition, Boyd wants President Barack Obama to know that the earmarked $1.25 billion is not near enough to compensate those "black" farmers who were denied loans under the USDA and its programs.



The argument is what sounds great maybe not be so great once put into practice. In other words the settlement of $50,000 to $60,ooo is nowhere near enough to make whole farmers who lost homes, family and financial stability. Boyd Jr., president of the National Black Farmers Association travels the hallways of Congress to get this message to those who can make this change.



In light of the fact that billions of dollars have been throw at bankers and automakers, these "black " farmers are not asking for a lot. It appears to be an issue of fariness. Why would money go first to bail out bankers and automakers when this debt, owed to farmers through the government failure to practice fairness, was on the government books?

Boyd, Jr and some 800 "black" farmers have filed a new lawsuit in United States District Court in Washington to expedite the granting of funds to those given a second chance according to the NBFA: website

Black farmers file new suit against USDA
– 4 hours ago
WASHINGTON
(AP) — More than 800 black farmers filed a new lawsuit
against the Agriculture Department just two weeks after Congress
reopened a 1999 settlement over past discrimination.
The plaintiffs wasted little time in taking advantage of a provision in
the recently enacted farm bill that allows fresh claims from those who
were denied damages after missing earlier deadlines.
Some 75,000 people could fall into that group. If their suits
aresuccessful, the case could cost the government several billion
dollars on top of the $980 million in damages already paid under the
original settlement.
The lawsuit, organized by the Virginia-based National Black Farmers
Association, was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Washington.
Nearly all the 823 farmers who sued are from the South, mostly
from Alabama and Mississippi. John Boyd, a black farmer who founded the
group, said he expects another 5,000 to join the lawsuit soon.
The suit is the latest development in the federal government's April
1999 settlement of a class-action lawsuit from black farmers who
claimed they were systematically denied loans and other aid from local
USDA offices. About two-thirds of the nearly 22,500 farmers who filed
suit were awarded damages. Those who filed late argued that their lawyers made mistakes or that they were not aware of the deadline.
The deadline was extended once for those who could show extraordinary
circumstances. But federal courts repeatedly denied subsequent requests
to reopen the settlement until Congress intervened with the farm bill.
The enacted bill permits plaintiffs to seek expedited claims of $50,000
under a lower threshold of proof than a typical civil case.
Plaintiffsalso can seek larger damages in court. The USDA and the Justice
Department declined to comment on the lawsuit. Critics have charged that
farmers had plenty of time to win claims andthat reopening the case will
reward questionable claimants who may not have suffered losses.
Dr. John W. Boyd, Jr
68 Wind Rd.
Baskerville VA 23915
johnwboyd2000@yahoo.com
http://www.blackfarmers.org
www.johnwboydjr.com