TAHLEQUAH — Cherokee Nation ranchers unjustly shut out of federal farm loans and have had a claim with other Native Americans in the $760 million Keepseagle Settlement, will learn by Aug. 29 whether they get a $50,000 check in the mail.

Those with more severe damage claims will receive a letter in October and if their complaint prevailed get a share of $250,000 in settlement money.

Northeastern Oklahoma’s Native American farmers had the largest number of discrimination claims, with 1,100, against the U.S. Department of Agriculture more than anywhere else in the country.

Indian farmers and ranchers alleged the USDA failed to provide technical assistance, and in some cases denied or charged higher interest rates for farm loans between 1981 and 1999, than their white counterparts. The government and Indian plaintiffs reached a settlement in 2010.

“It was frustrating and disheartening, and I’m happy this lawsuit came forward with more Oklahoma Native Americans filing claims than anywhere else, because I do think they were mistreated,” Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker said this week. “The settlement will make a major impact on the local economy and I doubt there isn’t a farmer out there that can’t improve their operation, hang on or maybe even expand with these settlements that might come at the right time, during a drought.”

Chief Baker testified in 1995-96 as a Cherokee rancher and Tribal Council member at the state level and served on behalf of Native American farmers on a national panel.

The Cherokee Nation experienced injustice leasing several thousands of acres of land at Chilocco near the Kansas border for low rates to non-Native farmers who then claimed poor crops and used the USDA subsidies to make 10 times what they had paid the tribe for leasing, while other Native American farmers missed out on buying land for as little as $500 an acre to non-Indian dairymen to watermelon crop producers that accessed the USDA loans and have since sold the land for $2,000 an acre, Baker said.

The Cherokee Nation’s status as the largest Native American tribe and Oklahoma’s large agricultural boon likely account for the area’s highest number of claims, said Alicia Seyler, who helps Oklahoma tribes and individual tribal producers with technical assistance to USDA programs through the Intertribal Agriculture Council.

“There was a tremendous amount of support from the Cherokee Nation to find Cherokee agriculture producers. Now we are just waiting to find out who the successful clients are.”

Those with Track A claims will receive a letter from Aug. 23-29 indicating whether their claim was accepted. Those prevailing will also receive a $50,000 check included in the letter. More severe claims, called Track B, will hear by mail by the end of October with a larger check award.

For more information visit www.indianfarmclass.com or call Seyler for general questions at (918) 699-9850 or aseyler@indianaglink.com.