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Pigford II Settlement Receives Court Approval

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has approved the Pigford II settlement. An agreement with African-American farmers to settle the Pigford II litigation for $1.25 billion was announced by USDA and the Department of Justice in February of 2010. Congress passed the Claims Settlement Act that funded the settlement last November with the President signing the bill in December. The bill approved by the House and Senate included strong protections against waste, fraud and abuse to ensure the integrity of the claims process. That process will soon be established and announced for individuals who may have faced discrimination.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released the following statements on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia approval of the historic Pigford II settlement:

"This settlement allows the Department of Agriculture and African-American farmers to focus on the future, and brings us one step closer to giving these farmers a chance to have their claims heard," said Attorney General Holder. "Accomplishing this settlement has been a top priority of this Administration and I am pleased that the court has approved it."