Black Farmers in Georgia Say Promised Settlement Payments Never Came

GEORGIA – A growing number of Black farmers in Georgia say they were misled and exploited by an organization that promised to help them receive compensation from a federal settlement tied to decades of discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The farmers were among thousands nationwide eligible to receive $50,000 in financial relief under the USDA’s discrimination settlement program. But now, they say they received nothing—despite paying membership dues and filling out extensive paperwork through the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association (BFAA) based in Memphis, Tennessee.

According to WSB-TV, the USDA confirmed the settlement funds were depleted by July 2024, and now farmers like Vincent Bishop feel betrayed.

Farmers Say They Were Misled for Decades

Tree farmer Vincent Bishop of Colbert County said he began paying the BFAA 23 years ago, believing he would eventually receive his promised funds.

“At this time, we haven’t gotten a dime from Mr. Burrell,” Bishop said, referring to Thomas Burrell, the president of BFAA.

Another Georgia resident, Kiki Michelle Singletary-Williams, shared a similar story.

“This not only appears to be a scam — I know it’s a scam,” she told reporters.

Singletary-Williams said dozens of her family members also paid dues and filled out applications through BFAA, only to end up empty-handed. She has since filed a formal complaint with the Tennessee Attorney General’s office, which has confirmed receiving multiple complaints about the organization.

Burrell Denies Responsibility, Blames the System

BFAA president Thomas Burrell denied wrongdoing, saying his organization lobbied successfully for the legislation that created the settlements but did not directly handle applications.

“They’ve been done wrong, but it’s not by BFAA,” he said.

Burrell argued the USDA’s application process was flawed, saying:

“It doesn’t take 40 pages to pay a person.”

Yet in a 2012 court filing, a federal judge noted concerns about Burrell’s conduct, stating his actions risked misleading the very people he claimed to help.

National Black Farmers Association Distances Itself

John Boyd, founder of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), has been organizing free support sessions nationwide for Black farmers trying to navigate USDA claims. Boyd emphasized that his group never charged applicants.

“To come out here and have other Black people scamming, pimping, taking advantage of elderly Black people—it’s disgusting,” Boyd said.

Boyd and other advocates have been pushing for increased federal oversight to ensure that eligible farmers aren’t preyed upon by third-party groups promising results they can’t deliver.

USDA Responds to Allegations

The USDA says it is aware that unauthorized organizations have collected money from farmers under false pretenses. In a statement, it reiterated that:

• It never required third-party fees for application assistance

• Over 43,000 farmers successfully received funds under the program

• The official program is now closed as of mid-2024

Meanwhile, Bishop says he eventually walked away from BFAA and filed his own paperwork — successfully securing $70,000 independently.

“You taking from your own people,” he said. “How can you feel comfortable to sleep at night?”

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