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How we reported the story: Delta farm discrimination

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How we reported the story: White Delta farm owners underpay, push out Black workers

Mississippi Today reporter Sara DiNatale spent eight months investigating the state of the farming workforce in the Delta. She interviewed a dozen local and H-2A visa farm workers, including some currently living in South Africa.

She examined three investigation files from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, which Mississippi Today obtained through public information requests.

What she discovered was alarming: At least five Delta farms paid their primarily Black local workforce less money per hour than temporary workers from other countries — most often, white men from South Africa.

“I started investigating the dynamics at play among the workforce on Delta farms because I knew it was more than just a lawsuit story,” DiNatale said. “I knew if I spent time listening and searching, records would back up what these men were telling me. And that’s what we were able to find.”

DiNatale along with data reporter Alex Rozier analyzed 15 years of labor department enforcement data to show the high rate Mississippi farms are found to be breaking labor laws when investigated by federal agents. They also sorted through nationwide H-2A applications data to identify trends among the Mississippi farms that used the program last year.

DiNatale contacted more than 30 farm owners throughout the Delta and spent time with veteran farmworkers. Her reporting was informed by interviews with agricultural academics from Alcorn State University, University of Arkansas and Tuskegee University, as well as researchers at the Economic Policy Institute. She attended a virtual session held by the Department of Labor meant to educate about farmworkers’ rights and missteps often made by farmers using the H-2A program.

While she used information shared in the Mississippi Center for Justice’s lawsuits against Pitts Farms and Harris Russell Farm, she also verified information shared by attorneys with former workers and experts familiar with the H-2A program.

“The problem our investigation uncovered is complex and nuanced,” DiNatale said. “But Mississippi leadership has made it clear they want to focus on creating well-paying jobs in the state. I think the biggest takeaway of everything is: Don’t forget about the Delta.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Attorneys file motion to delay Jackson bribery trial

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-21 16:41:00

SUMMARY: In connection with the Jackson bribery scandal, attorneys for federal officials and local leaders filed a motion to postpone the trial to allow time for extensive evidence review, including hours of recordings and thousands of pages of documents. Key figures charged include Hinds County DA Jody Owens, Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba, and Councilman Aaron Banks, each facing multiple counts of conspiracy related to bribery and fraud. The scandal involves alleged bribes amounting to over $80,000 related to a downtown development project, facilitated by individuals posing as real estate developers working with the FBI.

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Mississippi News

Family of Dexter Wade rallies outside JPD nearly two years after his death

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www.wjtv.com – Tia McKenzie – 2024-11-20 14:20:00

SUMMARY: Nearly two years after Dexter Wade’s death, his family continues seeking justice. On November 20, Dexter Wade Day was observed in Jackson, declared by Councilman Kenneth Stokes. Wade, hit by a Jackson police cruiser in March 2023, was later found in a pauper’s grave in Hinds County, and his mother, Bettersten Wade, was unaware of his death until August 2023. She believes his death was covered up. No arrests have been made, and authorities consider it an accident. Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade expressed condolences and shared updates on new policies to prevent similar tragedies.

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Mississippi News

Man shot while helping with stalled vehicle in Jackson

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-20 19:08:00

SUMMARY: A man was shot in Jackson, Mississippi, while attempting to assist a person with a stalled vehicle on State Street at Beasley Road around 4:00 p.m. on November 20. Detective Tommie Brown reported that the victim was working on the vehicle when the suspect approached, questioned him, and then opened fire. The assailant fled the scene in a vehicle. Fortunately, the victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital. The Jackson Police Department is seeking information about the incident and encourages anyone with details to contact them or Crime Stoppers.

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