FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 8, 1999 

WASHINGTON, D.C.  --   U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) hailed the settlement of the class action lawsuit to settle discrimination claims by African American farmers.  The class action suit was filed in 1997 in response to claims that African American farmers were unfairly denied loans or were subject to unnecessary processing and documentation requirements for USDA assistance provided by Farm Service Agency county offices.

Kaptur, the Ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, worked with Congressional Black Caucus Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA), Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and the White House to lift the statute of limitations on civil rights claims and provide funding for compensating farmers who are found to have been discriminated against.  The initiative also established expedited procedures for resolving complaints.

"I have fought long and hard for the economic security of working families and am pleased to have played a role in settling these long standing claims.   This settlement will not make African American farmers whole but it goes a long way in showing that racism in our government will not be tolerated.  I pledge to work to continue to ensure that all individuals who seek the services of the USDA and other government agencies are treated with fairness, dignity and respect," Kaptur said.

The settlement agreement lays out a process for settling the class action discrimination complaints filed against the USDA between 1981 and 1996.  The two track approach for the class action suit allows those who meet the class definition and have evidence of discrimination to receive a monetary settlement of $50,000, as well as additional relief in the form of debt writedowns and some offset of tax liability.

The second track allows those in the class action suit with extreme evidence of discrimination to receive a larger settlement after going through a third party review.

Farmers are not required to participate in the class action lawsuit to receive justice.  As a result of the waiver of the statute of limitations provision Kaptur championed, farmers can choose to continue to pursue their individual cases in court or use the USDA’s administrative process.

Contact: Steve Katich, 419-259-7500