Plaintiffs and attorneys in the Keepseagle lawsuit. Photo by Native Sun News
A federal judge approved an agreement to distribute $380 million in leftover funds from the Keepseagle settlement. Indian ranchers and farmers who experienced discrimination at the Department of Agriculture will receive another $21,275 in cash and tax payments, according to The Washington Post. The total value is about $77 million, the paper said. Another $38 million will go to nonprofit groups chosen by the attorneys who have been handling the case, the paper reported. The remaining $265 million will go to a new trust that will distribute the funds on business assistance, education and technical support for farmers and ranchers. "It is clear that the proposed modification is a compromise that was reached after hard-fought negotiations, and is certainly not the product of collusion between the parties," Judge Emmet G. Sullivan wrote in a 29-page decision on Wednesday. "It is also clear that not everyone agrees with the proposal." The Obama administration reached the settlement in October 2010 to address discrimination at the USDA. It included $680 million in payments to Indian farmers and ranchers and an $80 million loan forgiveness fund.
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Judge approves $380 million change to landmark 2010 Native American farm suit
(The Washington Post 4/21)
Plaintiffs Press Release | Settlement | Notice Form A | Notice Form B
Damages Award | Loan Debt Relief | Native American Farmers and Ranchers Council | Named Plaintiffs | President Obama Statement | USDA Press Release
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