<P> In 2006 the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report highly critical of the USDA in its handling of the black farmers cases . NBFA continued to lobby Congress to provide relief . NBFA's Boyd secured congressional support for legislation that would provide $100 million in funds to settle late - filer cases . In 2006 a bill was introduced into the House of Representatives and later the Senate by Senator George Felix Allen . In 2007 Boyd testified before the United States House Committee on the Judiciary about this legislation . As the organization was making headway by gathering Congressional supporters in 2007 it was revealed that some USDA Farm Services Agency employees were engaged in activities aimed at blocking Congressional legislation that would aid the black farmers . President Barack Obama, then a U.S. Senator, lent his support to the black farmers' issues in 2007 . A bill cosponsored by Obama passed the Senate in 2007 . </P> <P> In early June 2008 hundreds of black farmers, denied a chance to have their cases heard in the Pigford settlement, filed a new lawsuit against USDA . The Senate and House versions of the black farmers bill, reopening black farmers discrimination cases, became law in June 2008 . Some news reports said that the new law could affect up to 74,000 black farmers . In October 2008, the GAO issued a report criticizing the USDA's handling of discrimination complaints . The GAO recommended an oversight review board to examine civil rights complaints . </P> <P> After numerous public rallies and an intensive NBFA member lobbying effort, Congress approved and Obama signed into law in December 2010 legislation that set aside $1.15 billion to resolve the outstanding black farmers cases . NBFA's John W. Boyd, Jr., attended the bill - signing ceremony at the White House . As of 2013, 90,000 African - American, Hispanic, female and Native American farmers had filed claims . It was reported that some had been found fraudulent, or transparently bogus . In Maple Hill, North Carolina by 2013, the number of successful claimants was four times the number of farms with 1 out of 9 African - Americans being paid, while "claimants were not required (by the USDA) to present documentary evidence that they had been unfairly treated or had even tried to farm ." Lack of documentation is an issue complicated by the USDA practice of discarding denied applications after three years . </P> <P> Important legislation setting policy of the USDA includes the: </P>

Which group is a branch of the unites states department of agriculture