Ellington

Mississippi is likely to have the highest concentration of farmers who are entitled to a piece of two landmark decisions. In fact, more than one-fourth of the claims under the second decision originated in Mississippi, according to the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association.

Many people know little about the billion-dollar settlement, however. Here's some background information:

The case began in the late 1990s when Timothy Pigford, Cecil Brewington and 400 other African American farmers sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The suit, which named then-Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman as defendant, alleged that between 1983 and 1997, the USDA discriminated against black farmers in giving out farm loans and other forms of assistance and for failing to investigate the farmers' complaints.

The parties reached a settlement in Pigford v. Glickman in 1999.

"The Court finds that the settlement is a fair resolution of the claims brought in this case and a good first step towards assuring that the kind of discrimination that has been visited on African American farmers since Reconstruction will not continue into the next century," wrote a U.S. appellate judge in affirming the settlement.

The case didn't end there, however. Many black farmers complained about the settlement's structure, the large number of late claims and poor legal representation. The 2008 federal farm bill allowed claimants who had filed late claims and not received a determination on the merits of their claims to petition a federal court. Congress approved a maximum of $100 million to pay the late claims, which became known as Pigford II.

In 2010, new USDA secretary Tom Vilsack and Attorney General Eric Holder announced an additional $1.15 billion to settle Pigford II claims, contingent on congressional approval. After several unsuccessful attempts, Congress appropriated the funds in November 2010.

At $1.25 billion, the Pigford settlements represent one of the largest sums awarded in a race-discrimination class-action lawsuit in U.S. history.
A series of meetings is now underway across the nation, including in Jackson, to provide information about the case and help claimants with filling out forms. In Jackson, they will take place at Jackson State University e-Center.

To schedule an appointment, call 1-877-810-8110 or visit http://www.blackfarmercase.com/meetings.aspx for a complete list of available dates.