The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association Inc. (BFAA Inc.) will hold an informational session for members from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Tom Burrell, president of BFAA at Memphis, said in a press release Friday that BFAA has filed an objection to the black farmers lawsuit settlement that was approved U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman on Oct. 27.
According to an article by CNN on Oct. 28, thousands of farmers who alleged racial discrimination by the U.S. Agriculture Department in the 1980s and ’90s may be eligible for compensation from the $1.25 billion settlement.
CNN reported that up to 68,000 African-American farmers who filed between 1999 and 2008 could be able to apply for one of two forms of relief under the settlement: “Track A” for claimaints to receive up to $50,000 after taxes, and “Track B” up to $250,000 for damages substantiated by documents and other evidence.
Burrell is concerned that heirs are being asked about whether an estate exists for the deceased claimant and to provide the Estate Taxpayer ID Number. If there has not been an estate set up for the deceased person, the claimant is asked to explain why he/she believes they will be appointed the legal representative of the estate.
“Moreover, if no estate has been set up, the fund will be given to a ‘Cy Pres Beneficiary.’ That could very well be some organization out of the state in which deceased claimant resided,” he said.
BFAA is taking the position that often times, there were no wills left by ancestors of black farmers and the information was not required in the first lawsuit (Pigford I).