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Black farmers opened confab

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The 23rd annual Conference of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) convened Nov. 8-9 in Columbia, S.C., with a new sense of optimism that officials hope will buoy up the agrarian business owners for many years to come.

NBFA, which advocates on behalf of Black and socially disadvantaged farmers, recently emerged victorious from a protracted battle, waged in courthouses and in Capitol Hill chambers, in which the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was sued for a decades-long history of discriminatory practices against Black farmers.

The fight ended when President Barack Obama signed a bill on Dec. 8, 2010, authorizing a $1.25 billion settlement with the eligible Black farmers. And justice is becoming even more tangible for some 18,000 of those farmers, who recently began receiving checks worth $50,000 each, plus $12,500 to cover tax liability, in the mail.

“[This payout] shows a ragtag organization—if you stay focused and keep your eye on the prize—you can be victorious,” said NBFA President John Boyd. He added, “Anything for Black people has hurdles and roadblocks … justice is a slow process, [but] you just have to stay the course.”

Boyd, who, in previous interviews with the AFRO, has bemoaned the absence of fellow farmers who died while waiting for the case to be resolved, said the victory is “bittersweet.”

“Checks are finding their way to the farmers, and you can hear the joy in their voice when they call to share the news,” Boyd said. “But we also hear the disappointment from farmers whose claims were denied.”

The USDA’s settlement with the farmers was one of the highlights of the conference. For information, please visit: www.nationalblackfarmersassociation.org.

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