Will Decade-long Lawsuit Move Towards a Conclusion?

A decade-old lawsuit between American Indian ranchers and farmers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) may be nearing the light at the end of the tunnel—emphasis on “may.”

The lawsuit, which became a class-action suit back in 2001, alleges “the USDA denied or delayed loans, or did not approve enough money for Indian Farmers.” The farmers and ranchers believe discriminatory actions on the part of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency cost the farmers and ranchers roughly $500 million. On Thursday of this week, attorneys for the farmers and ranchers, as well as tribal leaders will meet to discuss the future of the lawsuit.

In his story on the case for the Associated Press, James Macpherson reports that former Three Affiliated Tribes Chairman Tex Hall believes some have given up on the lawsuit. Others, he contends, have lost their operations or died in the time since the suit was first brought. ‘“We want to let the plaintiffs know that they can’t give up . . . We were first on the land but always the last in line.”’

The case is now Keepseagle vs. Vilsack, formerly Veneman, referring to rancher George Keepseagle, 69, who claims that, despite his pleas, loans that should have gone to him instead went to white counterparts, and referring to Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the USDA. Macpherson writes that the case is similar to another lawsuit brought in 1997 by black farmers. That case was settled with two years. There are also similar suit filed by female and Hispanic farmers, though they have not been given class-action status.

Macpherson quotes the USDA as issuing the following statement, ‘“[USDA is] working vigorously to address its inventory of older civil rights complaints . . . in a timely and fair manner.” It remains to be seen if the hope Hall has in the new Obama administration to handle these cases is well founded or not.

To read the AP article click here.

Posted: 09/08/09