Mississippi Catfish Farms Settle Pay Discrimination Lawsuits with Black Farmworkers

Two Mississippi catfish farms have recently settled a lawsuit alleging pay discrimination against Black farmworkers, according to plaintiffs' attorneys. The lawsuit accused the farms of hiring workers from Mexico and paying them significantly more than they paid local Black farmworkers for the same type of labor.

The Southern Migrant Legal Services and Mississippi Center for Justice filed the lawsuit in August on behalf of 14 Black farmworkers. The legal action claimed that the Black workers were systematically underpaid and denied job opportunities in favor of non-Black foreign workers at Nobile Fish Farms, which also cultivate corn and soybeans. The lawsuit was concluded on mutually agreeable terms under a confidential settlement. Court records show that the settlement took place in February and all terms of the settlement have been fulfilled, according to the plaintiffs' attorneys.

Previous Settlements

These settlements mark the eighth time that Black farmworkers have secured settlements alleging pay discrimination at farms in the Mississippi Delta, one of the poorest parts of the United States. Notably, five of the settlements were reached without the need for lawsuits to be filed. In a similar case from December 2022, two farms settled lawsuits over claims that they hired white laborers from South Africa and paid them more than the local Black employees for the same type of work. These lawsuits were against farms in Sunflower County, which has a population of just under 24,500, with about 74% of residents being Black, according to the Census Bureau.

Hannah Wolf, an attorney from Southern Migrant Legal Services involved in the case against Nobile Fish Farms, emphasized that the H-2A guest worker program requires employers to attempt to hire local workers before bringing in immigrant workers. However, there continue to be reports from U.S. workers who claim being displaced from their jobs and replaced with guest workers. Wolf stated, "We will continue to investigate those claims and bring legal action when warranted."

It is hoped that these legal efforts will emphasize the need for fair wages for local workers and send a message to farmers in the Delta, as well as across the U.S., to pay fair wages to local workers. The ongoing pursuit of justice in these cases serves to highlight the importance of equitable treatment and fair compensation for all workers involved in agricultural labor.