Black farmers who have suffered discrimination resulting in the loss of their land could now receive some financial relief with the recent settlement of a class action suit. The suit which was filed against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was approved last April by the US District Court in Atlanta.

This information was released by the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, which is related to the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) through a General Advance Project focusing on Black Land Retention. (Project No. 982280-6). The Federation has actively advocated with other farm groups in the effort to arrive at this settlement.

"Hopefully this historic lawsuit will send a signal throughout the country that there is no room for racism within the government. Economic and social justice should be the goal of government policy makers and those who implement those policies...Perhaps now some healing can begin and Black farmers can work toward becoming an integral part of American agriculture." said Ralph Paige, the Federation/LAF Executive Director in an April 22, 1999 press release.

According to the Federation, in 1910 there were 218,000 black farmers who collectively owned 15 million acres of land. In 1992, the US Census of Agriculture reported that there are 18,000 black farmers left owning 2.3 million acres of land.

The Federation of Southern Cooperatives lists among the "systemic problems within the USDA and American agriculture generally" unfair credit opportunities, lack of Black representation in county agriculture committees, discrimination within commercial lending institutions and marketing outlets, and the lack of adequate income for the farmers, The Federation further notes the lack of implementation of recommendations developed by the USDA's Civil Rights Action Team in 1997, and by the USDA's Small Farm Commission.

U.S. Representative Eva Clayton of North Carolina who was one of the speakers during the Interfaith Public Policy Briefing held last April in Washington, D.C., observed: "Known as the People's Department, USDA was signed into law by President Lincoln on May 15, 1862. It is ironic that the very department created by the president who signed the Emancipation Proclamation faced widespread and documented charges of unfair and unequal treatment of socially disadvantaged and minority farmers."

While the settlement of the suit gives black farmers reasons to be hopeful, Representative Clayton said that she is fearful that the settlement will not be sufficient for all of the farmers, many of whom would have already lost their evidence of discrimination.

However, according to the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, "[While] the settlement in no way restores the economic impact of millions of acres lost to the Black community because of discrimination by the USDA...it could be the beginning of a much needed healing process..." (FSC Press release, January 6, 1999)

In 1996 the General Conference passed a resolution "that The United Methodist Church go on record supporting the crucial need for the Church and the government to provide financial, technical, and management assistance to help stop the decline of Black-owned farmland in America."

One of the ways that the General Board of Global Ministries has implemented this proposal has been through supporting the work of of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, which now on its 31st year.

"The Federation has a long working relationship with the GBGM on town and rural issues impacting racial/ethnic minorities in the Southeast," says Gladys Campbell, GBGM executive secretary for town and country ministries, citing the leadership that the Federation's staff has also given recently to discussions on the the Farm Crisis and Hate/Violence.