Judge approves black farmers settlement

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BLACK FARMERS’ SETTLEMENT. On December 8, President Obama signed legislation that provided $1.15 billion to black farmers who sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the 1997 case, Pigford v. Glickman. In the suit, which settled out of court 11 years ago, the farmers claimed the government discriminated against them by denying or cheating them out of federal aid. More than 75,000 farmers will receive up to $50,000 each. Some have suggested that it made a difference to have a black man in the White House. In any case, the symbolism is clear, as is the message that the government wants to correct a grievous injustice. “This is a settlement that addressed a historical wrong, I mean something that this country is not about and should not be about,” said U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.

By Mary Clare Jalonick

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has given final approval to a $1.2 billion government settlement with black farmers who claim they were unfairly denied loans and other assistance from the Agriculture Department over many years.

Federal judge Paul Friedman approved the settlement late Thursday. He said it will likely take about a year for neutral parties to review claims and then all of the settlements will be paid out at once.

This is the second round of settlements in the 1999 case known as the Pigford case, after the original plaintiff, North Carolina farmer Timothy Pigford. The settlement is directed at farmers who were denied payments in the first round because they missed deadlines for filing.

Congress passed the settlement last year.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.