BY SAMUEL FARLEY
FRESNO, California - A dozen farmers from throughout the
state reported to the Ramada Inn Hotel here February 27 to
discuss the U.S. government's proposed consent decree for
settling discrimination claims by farmers who are Black.
These farmers came to the hotel based on the information they
had received from law firms involved in the settlement
claims.
Similar meetings have been staged throughout the country. At one such meeting held in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, more than 900 farmers showed up, some to file claims under the class action lawsuit and a few to stage a protest picket against the tentative settlement.
After California farmers had called and were told to attend the meeting here to file claims, the Black Farmer's Litigation Information/Poorman Douglas law firm called the farmers back and asked them not to attend. There are some 277 farmers who are Black in California, many in the Fresno area. The dozen or so farmers who came to the law office anyway were told they had to make an appointment.
These farmers who showed up demonstrated they have forged a bond of deep solidarity in their struggle to hold onto their land. An example of this was expressed when the attorney present would look up the name of a farmer from a long list. Farmers in the room would just yell out name after name of others they have gotten to know, wanting to know if they too were on the list.
James McGill, 46, lives in Bakersfield, California. He has farmed for 20 years and his family has farmed for generations. McGill lost his farm in 1986 and again in 1989 to foreclosures. He said once you are foreclosed on, banks will not make any loans. McGill wants to continue farming. "There is a lot of land to be had," he said, "but you need money."
Commenting on the tentative lawsuit settlement, McGill said it could be okay, but expressed doubts if farmers will get anything. "This has been going on for years, I haven't seen anything done for us yet. We have tried to get the help of Jesse Jackson, Maxine Waters, preachers, and some other folks, and they all let us down. They don't care, they just don't care about farmers."
Lonnie Dillard, 74, has been farming for more than 40 years. His entire family - wife, two daughters, and four sons - work the farm. Dillard said his wife is the backbone of their farm work. They grow almonds on a 50-acre farm in Kern County.
Edward Nolen describes himself as a fourth generation farmer from Arkansas and Mississippi. He farms 20 acres within a farmer's cooperative, which he helps lead. Nolen planted tomatoes, squash, eggplant last year. This year he will grow cantaloupes and watermelon. Nolen, showing intricate graphs and charts with his economic plan, said he doesn't plant anything unless he has a buyer. "If you produce quality crops you can make a profit," he said, expressing the view that poor management on the part of most farmers puts them in a crisis.
Asked about the government's proposed "fairness settlement," Nolen said, "The amount of money they are offering us is nothing. It is nothing compared to what I have lost."
Another meeting will be held in Fresno on March 5.
Samuel Farley is member of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees in Los Angeles.