Hagan Calls for Congress to Fund Pigford Settlement

Staff reports

U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) today joined the National Black Farmers Association and several of her Congressional colleagues in calling for Congress to correct years of injustice by appropriating settlement funding owed to African American farmers. In February, a $1.15 billion agreement was reached between the Administration and black farmers who had been discriminated against in the 1980s and 1990s when applying for benefits to help their farms. It is estimated that more than 4,000 black farmers in North Carolina and 75,000 nationwide could be eligible to receive damages.

“Congress must act immediately to ensure that this settlement agreement
is appropriated before the deadline passes next week,” Hagan said at the
press conference. “These farmers have been denied justice for decades,
and it is incumbent upon us in Congress to right this wrong.”

Last year, Sen. Hagan cosponsored legislation with Sen. Grassley (R-IA)
to ensure that African American farmers across the country would receive
just compensation under Pigford v. Glickman. This landmark class action
suit, settled with the Department of Agriculture in 1999, found that
thousands of African American farmers were discriminated against when
applying for loans, credit, and other financial help that would ensure
their farms’ success.