NOT IN OUR NAME

NOT IN OUR NAME

Below is a letter that the National Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association (BFAA) sent out as a response to an inquiry about a petition and questionnaire being circulated in the name of the organization. Someone using the name Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association, Inc. is telling both Black farmers and non-farmers that they may be able to get into the Black farmers’ lawsuit by signing a petition and answering a questionnaire and sending it to a "Covington, TN" address. The person doing this did not leave a name or telephone number, so many people are calling the headquarters of BFAA in Tillery, NC and asking the president of BFAA, Gary R. Grant, about these documents.

We are posting this letter to help put the record straight and prevent people from being victimized in the name of our organization.

Thank you, Dr. Ridgely A. Mu’min, V.P. of BFAA

Peace Mr. ________,

We would suggest that you do not sign such a questionnaire or petition. This has not been authorized by the original and legitimate Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association (BFAA). The fact that no signature is attached to such a document should give cause for questions and be evident that it was not produced in good faith.

Unfortunately, both white and black snakes have popped up in the "Reparations Grass". We do not want to throw dispersions on black people who are truly attempting to seek justice for our people, even though we may not agree with their tactics. However, whoever is putting out this scam in the name of BFAA should be ashamed of themselves and we hope that these people would stop hurting our people in our name.

The Pigford v. Glickman (now Veneman) lawsuit was closed in September of 2001. A quick glance at the USDA website (http://www.usda.gov/da/status.htm) concerning the lawsuit will show that almost 40% of the original 21,982 claimants have been denied. Everyone who was accepted in the class action lawsuit was to have been either paid or denied by April 2004. However, we understand that the monitor's office has been extended by one year the "review of injunctive relief". To our understanding this extension of time applies only to those who have already been successful in proving their case. We must emphasize that the monitor's office will be monitoring those farmers who "won" the $50,000 and are now trying to get injunctive relief by going back to the USDA to borrow money. According to our understanding this extension of time is NOT for accepting or reviewing any new applications to this lawsuit.

We definitely need to fight the USDA and also produce new sources of capital and markets for Black farmers. However, the Pigford v. Glickman class action lawsuit is OVER and it did neither.

For Black Farmers and in Peace, Gary R. Grant, BFAA President and Dr. Ridgely A. Mu'min, V.P. of BFAA