Nearly every applicant who wasn’t selected for a medical cannabis cultivation license reserved for a Black farmer has filed a challenge to the Florida health department decision.
Terry Donnell Gwinn of McAlpin, Florida, on Sept. 21 was chosen from a field of 12 applicants for the license, which was set aside for Black farmers with links to a decadeslong federal litigation.
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The petitions against the decision were first reported by WUSF Public Media.
The issue dates back to 1981, when farmers largely located in the South launched a class action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture alleging lending and assistance discrimination.
The case, often referred to as the Pigford litigation, was settled for $1.3 billion in 2011.
The reasons for the challenges to Gwinn being awarded the license are varied, according to WUSF:
In one instance, an 84-year-old applicant died before the license was awarded.
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