ATLANTA — Since 1999, the federal government paid out billions in settlement money for discrimination lawsuits filed against the United States Department of Agriculture.
As of July 2024, the settlement money is gone. Some Black farmers told Channel 2′s Tom Jones an organization that promised to help them get that settlement money, instead got them nothing.
Tree farmer Vincent Bishop told Jones farming is a part of his DNA. The Colbert County resident used to raise cows.
“The cows, they don’t want to produce any milk. Just according to how stressed they are,” Bishop said.
He told Channel 2 Action News the process of applying for the discrimination lawsuit settlement money has left him stressed out as well.
Bishop began paying the Memphis Tennessee organization, Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association (BFAA), on and off 23 years ago.
He said he believed he would get $50,000 in settlement money.
Thomas Burrell heads up the organization.
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“At this time, we haven’t gotten a dime from mister Burrell,” Bishop said.
Bishop believes he was totally misled by BFAA.
“It’s two things I hate. A liar and a thief,” he said.
He told Jones BFAA led him to believe it would take care of all the paperwork once dues were paid.
Henry County resident, Kiki Michelle Singletary-Williams, told Channel 2 Action News a similar story.
“We’re determined to make sure that he does what he said he was going to do, and that is get us our funds,” Singletary-Williams said.
She said BFAA promised dozens of her family members money from the settlements.
She told Jones they paid dues for years, even filled out extensive paperwork with BFAA and got nothing.
“Something needs to be done because this not only appears to be a scam, I know it’s a scam,” she said.
Singletary-Williams filed a complaint with the Tennessee attorney general’s office.
Channel 2 filed an open records request and found the office is looking into similar complaints from other black farmers.
One complaint stating, “...were told we would receive the $50K Settlement...”
A BFAA membership form we obtained stated,
“BFAA, inc. Does not guarantee any relief or financial benefits resulting from any advocacy or legislative initiatives...”
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Jones went to Memphis where President Thomas Burrell vigorously defended his organization.
“They’ve been done wrong but it’s not by BFAA,” Burrell said.
He told Jones his organization has 20-thousand members and has lobbied congress and helped secure billions of dollars of settlement money through lawsuits.
“The legislation speaks volumes about our advocacy,” he said.
But in this court document, from 2012, a federal judge questioned that advocacy Saying,
“The court is deeply concerned that some of the BFAA’s and Mr. Burrell’s conduct and representations have created a serious risk of misleading and in fact harming the interests of the very individuals on whose behalf they purport to advocate.”
Burrell also denies helping anyone with the application process.
He told Jones he believed the application was flawed.
“It doesn’t take 40 pages to pay a person,” Burrell said.
Jones also traveled to Virginia to speak with John Boyd. Boyd is a farmer whose organization, The National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), has been fighting for Black farmers for decades.
Boyd thanked Jones for bringing the situation to the attention of more black farmers. He told Jones he hosted more than 60 fill out form sessions around the country.
“Did you charge people,” Jones asked. “No. Didn’t charge anybody. I never charged anybody a dime,” Boyd answered.
He told Jones he worked hard to get settlements for Black farmer but as of July 2024, that money is gone.
“And then to come out here and have other black people scamming pimping taking advantage of elderly black people,” Boyd said.
Vincent Bishop told Jones he eventually left BFAA and received 70,000 in settlement money on his own. He says Burrell ought to be ashamed of himself.
“I mean you taking from your own people. How can you feel comfortable to sleep at night,” Bishop said.
The USDA says the discrimination financial assistance program has helped 43,000 farmers continue farming. It says it is aware of organizations collecting fees from potential applicants under false pretenses.
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