FAQs

You MUST provide your SSN or ITIN in order for us to submit your application. The USDA needs this number to identify you and send you a potential payment if they approve your application Our database is secure and HIPAA-compliant. Your information will not be shared with anyone outside of the USDA. If live on the phone with the client: Do not press submit on their application until we have the SSN. Leave a sticky note explaining the client's hesitancy, and set a task to follow-up with the client at a later date if they refuse to provide it during the application appointment. I understand your concern and hesitancy with providing your Social Security Number (SSN). Your SSN is a government-issued ID number, and the USDA needs this number to identify you and send you a potential payment if it approves your application. We cannot submit your application to the USDA without your SSN. I can assure you that everyone on your legal team operates with the highest degree of professionalism. Our database is secure and HIPAA-compliant. We will protect your information and keep it confidential. And we will not share your social with anyone outside the USDA. I have included a screenshot of the application below for your reference. As you can see, the USDA requires that you provide an official or financial document as proof of your SSN, like a copy of your social security card. We can certainly pull your SSN from there once you email your required documents to us, but it’s easier if you provide that information now. If you have any questions, or if you would like to provide your SSN over the phone, please call us at [Spanish/English phone]. We are available to assist you Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST.

Why do you need my SSN or ITIN?

No, this is not a scam. You don’t need a lawyer to apply for compensation through this program, and you’re welcome to try to complete your application on your own. But we think we can help farmers like you get a much better shot at actually receiving compensation after you apply. Here’s why: 1. You can only submit the application once If there are any errors with your application, you run the risk of being denied compensation and walking away with nothing. We know the USDA’s requirements for this program forwards and backwards. We’ll review every response on your application, and we’ll make sure that the documentation you submit is sufficient so that you aren’t denied for making an avoidable mistake. 2. The deadline is approaching Applications are due on October 31, 2023, so you don’t have much time left to apply. But we work fast, and we’ve streamlined the application process to make it much easier for you to share the information and documents needed to submit your application. 3. We're a guaranteed resource for you We think that the USDA’s call center and other local resources are probably stretched thin trying to provide assistance to thousands of minority farmers. But this is our wheelhouse. We bring mass claims for workers, veterans, and consumers every day, and we have the exact infrastructure and legal expertise needed to help people like you successfully apply for this program at a very large scale. 4. We know how to maximize your potential compensation This application is long and fairly complicated. It’s not always clear what documentation you may be required to provide and what is optional. And we think that quality of your responses to specific questions will play a big role in whether you get approved for a payment or not. We can help you navigate all the nuances and ensure that you’re giving the best possible answers and documentation needed to put together an excellent application.

The USDA says I don’t need a lawyer. Is this a scam?

I'm sorry but at this time, we will not be able to give specific tax advice. The USDA recommends that you speak with a tax professional if you have any questions about your potential financial assistance award. Generally though, the USDA has advised that any payments it issues will likely be treated as income by the IRS.

Will I have to pay taxes on any financial assistance?

You would still apply for this program as an individual, you’ll just need to list your business entities on the application.

What if I applied for loan(s) as a business entity?

You would still apply for this program as an individual, you’ll just need to list your co-borrower(s) on the application. And your co-borrowers would have to submit their own individual applications to receive compensation themselves. If you think they might be interested in our services too, please ask them to call us.

What if I applied for loan(s) with a co-borrower?

The USDA is looking to compensate farmers that believe they experienced farm lending discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, gender identity or sex, age, religion, disability, marital status, or as retaliation for prior discrimination claims you may have brought against it. In this context, discrimination could mean that the USDA took an unreasonably long time to process your loan, didn’t give you proper assistance during the application process, didn’t tell you about its lending programs, denied your loan for no good reason, or gave you adverse loan terms (like high interest rates). We’re helping farmers of color and women farmers apply for compensation from this program, because that’s where our strongest area of expertise lies. If you believe that the USDA discriminated against you for another reason (like your sexual orientation, disability, or age), we encourage you to check out the USDA website for other organizations that can help you with your application.

What is discrimination, for purposes of this program?

The USDA ran a similar program from 2012 - 2013, and it denied 95% of the claim form applications that it received from minority farmers, primarily because these applications were not completed correctly. By our estimate, getting expert help on your application will significantly increase your odds of receiving compensation from the USDA. The USDA has set up a call center and partnered with some local nonprofits to provide free application assistance. But we cannot speak to the speed or quality of these services. And we suspect they might be overwhelmed helping thousands of other farmers apply. You can find a helpline number on the USDA website if you want to check them out. But you should know that this is our wheelhouse. We bring mass claims for workers, veterans, and consumers every day, and we have the exact infrastructure and legal expertise needed to help people like you successfully apply for this program at a very large scale. If you’d rather get private help from a highly awarded law firm, we encourage you to sign up with us. We'll ensure that your application is compelling, complete, and submitted on time.

Why should I hire an attorney for this? The USDA says it’s not required, and the application is free.

Yes, we can review what you have already started and make recommendations. Before we review your application, we will need you to answer our basic qualifying questions and sign an engagement contract. Once you have signed, we'll send you instructions for sending the application to us, and we’ll have an attorney review it.

I already completed the full application, but I want you to review it. Can I send you a copy?

The USDA’s paperwork is usually pretty long and complicated. But we’ve done everything we can to make this process easier on you. Our application specialists will speak with you on the phone to collect the information we need to complete your application. Then, we’ll ask you for copies of all the documents we need to support your application, which you can either mail to us or upload digitally. Our attorneys will then review your responses. If they notice that any of your answers are conflicting or aren’t detailed enough, we’ll follow up with you to correct those responses. And then we’ll submit your application by the deadline. You likely won’t even need to leave the house to complete this process.

What is going to be required of me? How much of my time is this going to take? Am I going to have to travel?

No. You can apply for this financial assistance program and start or continue any other discrimination claims you may have. To be clear, we’re just helping farmers apply to the USDA’s Discrimination Financial Assistance Program. We aren’t filing lawsuits against the USDA for discrimination claims.

Do I have to choose between this program and filing a discrimination complaint?

To be clear, we’re just helping you prepare an application for this program. We are not filing lawsuits against the USDA or any other government agencies for discrimination claims. The USDA has already admitted to discriminatory practices in its farm lending program. You just need to submit a complete, timely, and compelling application to receive a payment.

So this isn’t a discrimination lawsuit?

You don’t pay us anything unless and until we obtain compensation for you. We also have no upfront consultation fee. You’ll only owe us a fee if the USDA approves your application and you receive a discrimination payment. If you don’t get a payment from the USDA, then you won’t owe us anything.

Do I have to pay you? What if my application is rejected? Is there an initial consultation fee?

Please ask them to complete an intake questionnaire to see if they qualify. If we think they’re good candidates for this program, FarmerCompensationClaims.com

What if I have friends who were also discriminated against during the USDA loan application process?

The deadline to apply is October 31, 2023. The USDA plans to process applications quickly and start issuing payments in December 2023, barring any unforeseen delays.

How long will the application process last?

This program only covers USDA farm lending issues before January 1, 2021. If you experienced discrimination after that date, you should contact the Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR). You can reach them by calling (866) 632-9992 (toll-free) or by emailing CR-INFO@usda.gov. If you prefer Spanish, you can call (800) 845-6136.

What about discrimination after January 1, 2021?

You must have experienced discrimination in a USDA Farm Loan Program before January 1, 2021, to be eligible. You may also be eligible if you currently have assigned or assumed USDA farm loan debt from someone else that experienced discrimination through the USDA’s farm lending program before January 1, 2021. We’ll help you determine if you qualify and assist you with the application process.

Who Qualifies?

The amount of money you could be awarded depends on a few different factors: The number of eligible farmers that apply for this program The type of USDA loan you applied for and were denied The nature and consequences of the discrimination you experienced And whether you operated a farm. Applicants who have operated farms will probably receive higher awards than those that didn’t because of the large financial investments associated with operating a farm. The USDA has capped awards at $500,000. But we think that the average total award amount will probably be somewhere between $25,000 and $40,000, depending on how many farmers submit winning applications. We can’t make any guarantees, but we’ll do our best to help you prepare a top-notch application so that you have the best possible chance of getting compensation through this program.

How much can I get? / How much is my case worth?

The USDA has systematically discriminated against minority farmers for decades by denying them low-interest rate loans, not providing access to farm improvement programs and assistance, and allowing record-breaking land loss through foreclosures. President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 into law in August of last year, and part of the package included financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who experienced discrimination in USDA Farm Loan Programs before January 1, 2021.

Why is the USDA giving out money?