Blog 8

What are some of the attacks brought against the class-action lawsuits against the USDA? In your opinion, were these attacks justified? Why or why not?

What were the plaintiffs in the lawsuits claiming? Do you believe the claims were legitimate? Why or why not?

What should be done to prevent further lawsuits of this nature? Is there any way to ensure that farmer discrimination does not exist? Is so, how? If not, why not?

Some of the attacks brought against the farmers who were suing the USDA were that: these farmers could be lying since evidence of their mistreatment was not required, that this lawsuit created an opportunity for a myriad of other farmers to now receive compensation when they previously had no complaints, and finally that, in general, fraud, lying, and forged documents were prevalent throughout the entire process. The plaintiffs in the lawsuits claimed that their prospective groups were being denied loans, as opposed to white, male farmers who were regularly receiving them. I believe that the claims could certainly be legitimate because of other similar discrimination against minorities in our country's history. To help to prevent further lawsuits like these in the future I think the USDA should more clearly regulate how many farmers may receive in loans, and then make sure that money is allocated fairly to all farmers across the nation. The application process for payments should also be monitored more closely to prevent non-farmers from receiving money fraudulently. Furthermore, farmers should have a means to lodge valid complaints that can then be resolved quickly to create an outcome favorable to all parties involved.