Tuesday, November 18, 1997

Judge urges USDA to resolve black farmer complaints

WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge gave the Agriculture Department 30 days to come up with a speedy method of resolving hundreds of discrimination complaints by black farmers or face a lawsuit against the department.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said he was pleased that government lawyers are willing to devise a way of settling the complaints that is far faster than the way USDA has moved in the past.

"I think it's a very positive thing," said Friedman, who had urged the Justice Department and USDA to negotiate an alternative to a full-blown lawsuit.

Documents provided by USDA show that since January, the department has closed 131 discrimination complaints brought by black farmers over denial of loans and other benefits. Of those, 11 settlements totaled some $3.5 million.

But there remain 950 complaints to be investigated and resolved, including 451 that have been filed since March, according to the agency.

A spokesman for the black farmers - about 50 of them attended today's hearing - said the group believed today's move shows the USDA is serious about addressing the backlog.

"It's beginning to move forward," said Sam Taylor, a Washington attorney. "The main thing we have wanted is to get the department to the table."

Alexander Pires, an attorney for the black farmers who filed the lawsuit, said there are a range of options for the government to consider from direct court-supervised mediation of the complaints to a modified version of USDA's current method of resolving them.

"The judge seems to want to give them the benefit of the doubt," Pires said of the government. "I think Judge Friedman is calling the secretary's bluff."

Michael Sitcoff, a Justice Department lawyer, said Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman is "trying to work toward a resolution" of the discrimination backlog and is open to any possibility.

"Everything is on the table," he said. "We need time to determine what is we think we can do."

Also today, lawyers from Mississippi, Alabama and Texas who represent at least 100 black farmers sought to join the lawsuit. Friedman said he would rule on that request in a few weeks.