Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 7/26/19

An issue dating back to Reconstruction that's prevented many black farmers from keeping land within their families will be the focus of two USDA listening sessions in the coming weeks. The department will convene on July 31 in Jackson, Miss., and on Aug. 14 in Washington, D.C.

History lesson: Land that's passed down without a will or clear title is known as heirs property — a common practice among black families who historically lacked access to the legal system and were distrustful of white courts. An estimated 80 percent of land owned by African Americans has been lost due to heirs' property since 1910, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

It often results in distant relatives becoming co-owners of the same property, complicating decisions about what to do with the land, who pays the taxes and sometimes leads to forced auctions.

What's next: Farmers owning heirs property have also been excluded from USDA loan, subsidy and conservation programs and other federal assistance. Congress directed the department in the 2018 farm bill to gather input on how to help heirs property owners gain access to these programs, including by assigning them USDA farm numbers. The department was also directed to study the impact of unresolved legal issues on heirs property owners' ability to operate their farms.

Both The New Yorker/ProPublica and Washington Post dove into the issue this week.