BIRMINGHAM - U.S. Representative Artur Davis (D-Birmingham) is scheduled to host a briefing session on the black farmers’ lawsuit against the USDA Thursday, January 26 from 10 a.m. - Noon at Tuskegee University's Kellogg Center. 

The two-hour session will provide an opportunity for Congressman Davis to discuss the latest issues on the black farmers’ settlement with the USDA.  In November 2005, Congressman Davis introduced the American Farmer’s Benefit Act of 2005 in the House of Representatives seeking to re-open the lawsuit and allow those who were ruled untimely to submit a claim for consideration.

To date, only 13,000 applicants of the more than 96,000 eligible have received a portion of the $2.3 billion settlement.  This event is a chance for farmers and their descendants to get more information about the Davis bill so they might encourage their congressmen and senators to support this important legislation.

For more information on this event, contact the Selma District Office at 334-877-4414.

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The American Farmers Benefits Act of 2005 will allow the refilling of claims in the Pigford and Brewington cases by individuals whose claims were denied on the grounds that they were filed after the September 15, 2000 final deadline for making claims.  A significant flaw in the Pigford and Brewington recovery process was the ineffective notification procedure used to alert potential plaintiffs in the cases.  This legislation works to remedy the notice problem by directing the USDA to conduct within 45 days an extensive notification campaign through general and African American broadcast and print media to inform plaintiffs of the re-opening of the litigation.

The bill stipulates that an individual seeking relief under this statute qualifies if that person:

1)       Submitted a claim that was denied on grounds of untimeliness;

2)       Submits a subsequent claim within one year of the enactment of this legislation;

3)       Asserts by affidavit that he or she did not receive effective notice of the original; September 15, 2000 final filing deadline.

Once the plaintiff’s case is renewed, it will proceed through the two-track process for farmers seeking relief as established in the original consent decree.