IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: USDA Extends Deadline for USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process to May 1

The USDA has extended the filing deadline for the USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process to May 1, 2013.  In the USDA press release, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stated:

Hispanic and women farmers who believe they have faced discriminatory practices in the past from the USDA have additional time to file a claim in order to have a chance to receive a cash payment or loan forgiveness. . . . USDA urges potential claimants to contact the Claims Administrator for information and to file their claim packages on or before May 1, 2013.

For more information about the Claims Process, please visit the Claims Administrator website at www.farmerclaims.gov. 

Attorneys Sought for USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process

Farmers Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) and the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC) are assisting in the development of a legal assistance network of attorneys to assist claimants in the completion of the official Claims Form for the USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process. The Legal Assistance Network listing will be widely available, including being listed on the National Agricultural Law Center website here so that claimants and others can easily access the information and make contact.

For background information on the USDA HWFRCP, please see the information below and/or visit the official Claims Process website at www.farmerclaims.gov.  For an attorney to be listed in the Legal Assistance Network, he or she must provide via email to nataglaw@uark.edu three items of information:

 

(1) a statement from the attorney that he or she has viewed the attorney training video, which is available upon request made to nataglaw@uark.edu;

(2) a statement indicating the state(s) in which the attorney is licensed to practice along with the corresponding bar number(s) for those states; and

(3) appropriate contact information. Once this information is received, the attorney's name, contact information, and state(s) in which he or she is licensed to practice will be included on the legal assistance network list published on the National Agricultural Law Center website.

Once listed in the network an attorney can be removed at any time upon request.

If you are an attorney interested in being listed in the Legal Assistance Network, please send an email to nataglaw@uark.edu that indicates the state(s) in which you are licensed to practice along with the corresponding bar number(s) for those states, along with a request for a copy of the training video.

 

 

 

Attorneys Sought Nationwide To Assist Claimants in USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process

Farmers Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) and the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC) are assisting in the development of a legal assistance network of attorneys to assist claimants in the completion of the official Claims Form for the USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process. The Legal Assistance Network listing will be widely available, including being listed on the National Agricultural Law Center website here so that claimants and others can easily access the information and make contact. For background information on the USDA HWFRCP, please see the information below and/or visit the official Claims Process website at www.farmerclaims.gov.

Please note, however, that a claimant is not required to be assisted by an attorney in order to complete and submit the official USDA HWFRCP Claim Form. In addition, the attorney need not be listed in the legal assistance network in order to assist a claimant.

 

For an attorney to be listed in the Legal Assistance Network, he or she must provide via email to nataglaw@uark.edut three items of information:

 

(1) a statement from the attorney that he or she has viewed the attorney training video, which is available upon request made to nataglaw@uark.edu;

 

(2) a statement indicating the state(s) in which the attorney is licensed to practice along with the corresponding bar number(s) for those states; and

 

(3) appropriate contact information. Once this information is received, the attorney's name, contact information, and state(s) in which he or she is licensed to practice will be included on the legal assistance network list published on the National Agricultural Law Center website.

 

Once listed in the network an attorney can be removed at any time upon request.

If you are an attorney interested in being listed in the Legal Assistance Network, please send an email to nataglaw@uark.edu that indicates the state(s) in which you are licensed to practice along with the corresponding bar number(s) for those states, along with a request for a copy of the training video.

 

The Farmers Legal Action Group, Inc. and the National Agricultural Law Center will also be available to respond to your questions regarding the Claims Form and the USDA Loan and Loan Servicing Programs that may arise while you are providing assistance to potential claimants. You may contact contact either with your questions by email at HWFRCP@flaginc.org or nataglaw@uark.edu, or by phone to Lynn Hayes at (651) 223-5400 or Harrison Pittman at (479) 575-7640.

 

USDA HWFRCP Background Information:

 

 

The United States Government has established a Claims Process to make available up to $1.33 billion or more to farmers who alleged discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) based on being female, or based on being Hispanic, in making or servicing farm loans during certain periods between 1981 and 2000. Claimants who qualify and who submit a timely claim could receive an award of up to $50,000 or up to $250,000 in cash, depending on the evidence submitted. USDA will also provide a total of up to $160 million in debt relief to successful Claimants who currently owe USDA money for eligible farm loans. In addition, successful Claimants may also receive an additional amount, equal to 25% of the combined cash award plus the principal amount of debt relief, to help pay federal taxes that may be owed.

Attorneys Sought To Assist Claimants in USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process

 

Farmers Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) and the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC) are assisting in the development of a legal assistance network of attorneys to assist claimants in the completion of the official Claims Form for the USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process. The Legal Assistance Network will be publicly available on the National Agricultural Law Center website here so that claimants and others can easily access the information and make contact. For background information on the USDA HWFRCP, please see the information below and/or visit the official Claims Process website at www.farmerclaims.gov.

 

Please note, however, that a claimant is not required to be assisted by an attorney in order to complete and submit the official USDA HWFRCP Claim Form. In addition, the attorney need not be listed in the legal assistance network in order to assist a claimant.

 

For an attorney to be listed in the Legal Assistance Network, he or she must provide via email to nataglaw@uark.edu three items of information:

 

(1) a statement from the attorney that he or she has viewed the attorney training video, which is available upon request made to nataglaw@uark.edu;

 

(2) a statement indicating the state(s) in which the attorney is licensed to practice along with the corresponding bar number(s) for those states; and

 

(3) appropriate contact information. Once this information is received, the attorney's name, contact information, and state(s) in which he or she is licensed to practice will be included on the legal assistance network list published on the National Agricultural Law Center website.

 

Once listed in the network an attorney can be removed at any time upon request.

 

If you are an attorney interested in being listed in the Legal Assistance Network, please send an email to nataglaw@uark.edu that indicates the state(s) in which you are licensed to practice along with the corresponding bar number(s) for those states, along with a request for a copy of the training video.

 

The Farmers Legal Action Group, Inc. and the National Agricultural Law Center will also be available to respond to your questions regarding the Claims Form and the USDA Loan and Loan Servicing Programs that may arise while you are providing assistance to potential claimants. You may contact contact either with your questions by email at HWFRCP@flaginc.org or nataglaw@uark.edu, or by phone to Lynn Hayes at (651) 223-5400 or Harrison Pittman at (479) 575-7640.

 

USDA HWFRCP Background Information:

The United States Government has established a Claims Process to make available up to $1.33 billion or more to farmers who alleged discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) based on being female, or based on being Hispanic, in making or servicing farm loans during certain periods between 1981 and 2000. Claimants who qualify and who submit a timely claim could receive an award of up to $50,000 or up to $250,000 in cash, depending on the evidence submitted. USDA will also provide a total of up to $160 million in debt relief to successful Claimants who currently owe USDA money for eligible farm loans. In addition, successful Claimants may also receive an additional amount, equal to 25% of the combined cash award plus the principal amount of debt relief, to help pay federal taxes that may be owed.



October 16: Attorney Training for USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers & Ranchers Claims Process

On October 16, 2012, from 1 p.m. - 3:45 (EST) a free training session by live webcast will be held for attorneys interested in assisting claimants in the USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process (HWFRCP). The training is intended for attorneys nationwide who want to assist potential claimants in completing the official HWFRCP claims form.

The October 16, 2012 training session will conducted by live webcast from Washington, D.C. To register for the live webcast, please visit http://hwfrcp.eventbrite.com.

For more information about the HWFRCP, visit the official claims process website at www.farmerclaims.gov.  In addition, the National Agricultural Law Center has HWFRCP research and information available to the public linked from its home page, www.nationalaglawcenter.org.

The HWFRCP is a non-judicial, non-adversarial process designed to resolve past claims of discrimination in the USDA Farm Loan Programs.  The claims are based on actions that occurred between 1981 and and 1996 or mid-October 1998 and mid-October 2000.  The claims period opened September 24, 2012 and runs through March 25, 2013.

For questions involving the October 16 attorney training or about the claims process, contact HWFRCP@flaginc.org or call (651)-223-5400. 

Attorneys Sought to Assist in USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process

The United States government has established a voluntary admininstrative claims process, the USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process (HWFRCP), that seeks to resolve allegations of past discrimination involving USDA farm loan programs.  The period in which to file a claim opened on September 24, 2012 and runs through March 25, 2013.  Claims are based on actions that occurred between 1981 and 1996 or mid-October 1998 and mid-October 2000.

Lawyers and law school clinics nationwide are being sought to assist Hispanic and women farmers to complete and submit the official HWFRCP claims forms.  If you are an attorney or associated with a law school clinic and are interested in being involved in the HWFRCP, please send an email inquiry to HWFRCP@flaginc.org or call (651) 223-5400.  In addition, interested attorneys or persons associated with legal clinics may also contact nataglaw@uark.edu or call (479) 575-7640.

Background on the HWFRCP

As part of USDA's efforts to make civil rights matters a top priority, USDA is committed to resolving past claims of discrimination in its farm loan programs.  In recent years, USDA entered into settlement agreements in certified class action lawsuits filed on behalf of African American and Native American farmers.  Class counsel assisted thousands of farmers to file their individual claims under those settlement agreements. For background information regarding these particular lawsuits, please visit the National Agricultural Law Center website here. 

Lawsuits alleging past discrimination in USDA Farm Loan Programs were also filed on behalf of Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers.  However, those cases were not certified as class actions.  Subsequently, the United States government established the USDA HWFRCP to provide at least $1.33 billion to claimants who alleged discrimination by the USDA based on being female or being Hispanic in making or servicing farm loans during certain periods between 1981 and 2000. 

The official website for the HWFRCP is www.farmerclaims.gov.  As part of its national research and information mission, the National Agricultural Law Center is also providing information regarding the process, which can be accessed from the Center's home page, www.nationalaglawcenter.org. 

 

USDA Launches Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process

On September 24, 2012 USDA announced the opening of the claims filing period for Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers who claim past discrimination involving the USDA farm loan program.  The claims period will run through March 25, 2013.  A USDA press release regarding the process is available here.

The claims process offers a voluntary, non-judicial process for Hispanic and female farmers and ranchers who can demonstrate that USDA denied their applications for farm loans for farm loan servicing assistance for discriminatory reasons for certain time periods between 1981 and 2000. 

The claims process makes at $1.33 billion available for cash awards and tax relief payments, as well as up to $160 million in farm debt relief to eligible claimants. 

The official website for the claims process is www.farmerclaims.gov.  For questions about claims process administration, including a request for the official claims form, interested persons can call 1-888-508-4429.

If you are an attorney interested in assisting claimants with completion of the official claims form and have questions about the process, you can contact the National Agricultural Law Center at nataglaw@uark.edu or Farmers Legal Action group at HWFRCP@flaginc.org.  Note, however, that it is not necessary that a claimant be assisted by an attorney in order to request or complete the official claims form. 

USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process: Informational Meeting for Attorneys on September 13

 

 

On September 13, 2012 from 11-12 Central, there will an informational webinar for attorneys interested in learning more about the upcoming opening of the USDA Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Process (HWFRCP).  The webinar will provide participating attorneys with a brief summary of the HWFRCP and how they can become part of the national network of attorneys who will be listed as willing to assist potential claimants in completing the official HWFRCP claims form.  There will be sufficient time for questions and answers about the HWFRCP.

To participate in the webinar, simply click https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/aglaw at 11 Central.  Before viewing the webinar, please visit the following URL to confirm your ability to connect to the server: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/testconnect/.

Attorneys participating in the HWFRCP legal network will assist Hispanic and Women farmers to complete and submit claims forms in a non-judicial process designed to resolve past claims of discrimination in the USDA Farm Loan Programs.  The claims are based on actions that occurred between 1981 and and 1996 or mid-October 1998 and mid-October 2000. 

For more information about this process, including a copy of the Attorney Recruitment Form, please send an email to HWFRCP@flaginc.org or call (651) 223-5400.  Also, information about the HWFRCP is currently available at www.farmerclaims.gov.