In 2021, a group of Black farmers filed a class-action lawsuit against the USDA alleging that the agency had discriminated against them for decades. The lawsuit claims that the USDA denied Black farmers loans, grants, and other assistance, resulting in widespread economic hardship and land loss.

The lawsuit is the latest in a long history of allegations that the USDA has discriminated against Black farmers. In 1999, the agency settled a class-action lawsuit brought by Black farmers for $1.25 billion. However, Black farmers say that they have continued to face discrimination from the USDA in the years since.

The 2021 lawsuit is still ongoing, but it has already had a significant impact. The USDA has been forced to acknowledge its role in perpetuating racial inequality in agriculture, and it has begun to take steps to address the problem.

Here are some of the key things to know about the class-action lawsuit against the USDA:

• The lawsuit was filed in March 2021 by a group of Black farmers represented by the civil rights law firm Ben Crump Law PLLC.
• The lawsuit alleges that the USDA has discriminated against Black farmers for decades by denying them loans, grants, and other assistance.
• The lawsuit seeks damages for the economic hardship and land loss that Black farmers have suffered as a result of the USDA’s discrimination.
• The USDA has denied the allegations in the lawsuit, but it has acknowledged that it has a history of racial inequality.
• The lawsuit is still ongoing, but it has already had a significant impact, forcing the USDA to take steps to address racial inequality in agriculture.

What does this mean for farmers?

The class-action lawsuit against the USDA is a major development for farmers, particularly Black farmers who have long faced discrimination from the agency.

If the lawsuit is successful, it could result in significant financial compensation for Black farmers who have been harmed by the USDA’s discrimination. It could also lead to changes in the USDA’s policies and practices to ensure that all farmers are treated fairly.

Even if the lawsuit is not successful, it has already had a positive impact by raising awareness of the USDA’s history of racial inequality and prompting the agency to take steps to address the problem.

FAQs

Q: What is a class-action lawsuit?

A: A class-action lawsuit is a lawsuit filed by one or more individuals on behalf of a larger group of people who have been harmed by the same defendant. Class-action lawsuits are often used in cases where the individual damages suffered by each person are too small to justify filing a separate lawsuit, but the total damages suffered by the group as a whole are significant.

Q: Who is eligible to join the class-action lawsuit against the USDA?

A: To be eligible to join the class-action lawsuit against the USDA, you must be a Black farmer who has been denied loans, grants, or other assistance from the USDA due to race discrimination.

Q: How do I join the class-action lawsuit against the USDA?

A: To join the class-action lawsuit against the USDA, you must contact the law firm representing the plaintiffs. You can do this by visiting the website of the law firm, Ben Crump Law PLLC.

Q: What are the potential benefits of joining the class-action lawsuit against the USDA?

A: If the class-action lawsuit against the USDA is successful, you could be eligible to receive financial compensation for the economic hardship and land loss that you have suffered as a result of the USDA’s discrimination.

Q: What are the risks of joining the class-action lawsuit against the USDA?

A: There are no significant risks to joining the class-action lawsuit against the USDA. The law firm representing the plaintiffs will cover all of the costs of the lawsuit, and you will not have to pay anything out of pocket.

Q: What if I have more questions about the class-action lawsuit against the USDA?

A: If you have more questions about the class-action lawsuit against the USDA, you can contact the law firm representing the plaintiffs. You can do this by visiting the website of the law firm, Ben Crump Law PLLC.

Conclusion

The class-action lawsuit against the USDA is a major development for farmers, particularly Black farmers who have long faced discrimination from the agency. The lawsuit has already had a positive impact by raising awareness of the USDA’s history of racial inequality and prompting the agency to take steps to address the problem.