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Farmer, Patrick Brown, has reclaimed the land once owned by his great-great-grandfather, who was also enslaved there. Currently, Patrick serves as the director of farmer inclusion for the social justice nonprofit Nature for Justice, reports Bitter Southerner. He is responsible for ensuring that $1.7 million in funding is allocated to farmers of color in North Carolina by 2029. Brown also serves on the board of the Eva Clayton Rural Food Institute, an organization established to combat food inequities. Patrick’s passion for farming is rooted in his upbringing. At the age of 9, he was already working on his family’s farm in North Carolina, helping to load tobacco. “It would take us about nine hours to fill up two barns,” he told the outlet. His father, Arthur, played a key role in igniting his interest in farming. He passed down stories of their family’s four-generation legacy in agriculture. “He was educating me,” Patrick explained, according to Bitter Southerner. “He would say,...
Erika Allen is on a mission to create sustainable communities. Heart Posture For Serving Others Growing up, she had an epiphany that ignited her desire to serve the broader community. And it was her interest in the creative arts that eventually guided her toward a multi-faceted passion project in Chicago, IL. Between 1987 and 1992, Allen transitioned from her family farm to attend the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. During this time, she encountered structural racism and social demarcation that shaped her perspective and mission. “Was literally told during my orientation to not go south of Van Buren, which of course triggered a lot of questions as to why, and that was just sort of something that was shared with me and was indoctrinating me as a new student,” she told AFROTECH™. “And to come to find that south of Van Buren was the south side, primarily black community that I’m part of. That really fired me up, my heart posture around wanting to extend what was a privilege to...
A grocery store considering its community first has opened in Baltimore, MD. The Baltimore community will now be able to shop at the Pratt Free Market, which will operate as a full-service grocery store following a ribbon-cutting ceremony held by the city’s Enoch Pratt Free Library. The market is inside the library’s Southeast Anchor location in the Highlandtown neighborhood. M’Balu “Lu” Bangura, chief of equity and fair practices at the Enoch Pratt Library, shared on Instagram that no income verification or ID will be required at the grocery store, and all items will be available for free to those living in a state where one-third of the population experiences food insecurity. Per WBAL-11 TV, customers will be able to stock one library-supplied bag each day. “Just come as you are and fill a bag with groceries at NO COST,” Bangura wrote on Instagram. “This market is for the City. All are welcome…I dreamt of this almost 2 years ago, I’m so proud to cut the ribbon on the first 100%...
Wisdom and Cherie Jzar started farming for their family, but it grew into much more. The couple is behind DeepRoots CPS Farms, located in Charlotte, NC, which opened in 2019, reports The Charlotte Observer. The initials of the business represent “community planning solutions.” “We started as homesteaders wanting to grow food for our family and ballooned to producing enough that we could share with our neighbors,” Cherie told the outlet. Per the farm’s Instagram page, they even have a partnership with Gaston County Schools to provide students locally-grown foods. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DeepRoots CPS Farm (@deeprootscpsfarm) The 7-acre farm has been fertile soil for herbs, vegetables, and mushrooms. Additionally, chickens, ducks, goats, beehives, and a palomino horse can be found on the land. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DeepRoots CPS Farm (@deeprootscpsfarm) “We were intentional about being farmers because we know that the number of Black farmers...
A multi-million-dollar investment towards Black farmers is underway. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the Black Farmer Fund, created by Karen Washington and Olivia Watkins, raised $11 million in September 2023 to support Black-owned agricultural systems through wealth-building opportunities. Since then, the New York-based nonprofit has reached its target goal in a second fund, which will deploy $20 million in capital to improve the Black food system, a press release states . It will specifically target food businesses in the Northeast region and provide support in the form of “low-interest loans and gifts.” The intention is for the awarded businesses to enable Black growers to strengthen their presence in the market and gain greater authority in the supply chain. This is timely when considering Black farmers have been faced with various challenges throughout the decades, which includes discrimination that has led to the denial of low-interest loans, grants, and further assistance,...
Direct payouts from the Biden administration will be allocated to Black farmers who have faced discrimination. ABC News reports Black farmers acknowledge that they have been discriminated against by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) when it comes to loans. The outlet notes many had been denied loans or received loans that were less than their white counterparts. Some that did receive loans had even reported having their property foreclosed on sooner than was typical when they experienced issues paying. Denial was the case for Wardell Carter, whose family has owned 85 acres of land in Mississippi since 1939. Yet despite their longevity, they have never been able to access a loan application. Instead, they were greeted by USDA loan officers with a slammed door, and if they persisted they were faced with the reality of having a cop called to their home, he says. Due to these challenges, it prevented the family from purchasing a tractor for years. So, they had to rely on a horse...
A new day has begun in Detroit, MI, thanks to the leadership of the Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network. For nearly a decade, the Motor City hasn’t had a full-scale Black-owned grocery store, Detroit Metro Times reports. Now, in May 2024, Detroit People’s Food Co-Op, the first Black-led co-op grocery store in Detroit, has opened its doors. As Detroit is one of the major U.S. cities that faces a significant shortage of food access, Detroit People’s Food Co-Op offers fresh, local grocery items, a deli, and a coffee bar. The outlet details that the store’s fruits and vegetables are sourced from four Black-owned farms in Michigan. In addition to providing quality food and health and wellness products, what makes the grocery store special is that anyone age 21 and over can become a member and have ownership in the co-op. On May 1, 2024, it had over 2,700 members and counting. “This is not something you’re invited to. It’s literally yours,” said Lanay Gilbert-Williams,...
A young Black entrepreneur’s tireless work to combat food insecurity is paying off. At age seven, Te’Lario Watkins II launched his business, Tiger Mushroom Farms in central Ohio, according to its website. “The idea of Tiger Mushroom Farms began after I planted cat grass and basil seeds at my 1st Cub Scout meeting,” Watkins wrote. “I enjoyed watering MY plants and was eager to see their growth each day.” He continued, “I began to wonder what else could I grow in Ohio in the wintertime. I remember reading a book about mushrooms. I told my parents and asked them about growing mushrooms. My parents bought me a mushroom kit…and the rest is history.” Nearly nine years after launching Tiger Mushroom Farms and selling his mushrooms at local farmers markets in Columbus, OH, the 16-year-old also has his own nonprofit, according to ABC News. The Garden Club Project’s mission is to eliminate food deserts and motivate children to make healthier food choices. ABC News reports that Watkins has...
It’s no question that Malcolm Jenkins has continuously been on the frontline in support of Black and brown entrepreneurs. Spearheading change through Broad Street Ventures, the first Black athlete-led venture capital fund, the two-time Super Bowl champion has been on go-mode since its launch. As previously reported by AfroTech, the $10 million investment fund further created space for Black and brown women after bringing India Robinson and Sara “Lovestyle” Hood on board as investors. Now, less than four months later, Jenkins is onto his next impactful venture under Malcolm Inc. — his holding company.
Smithfield Food is on a mission to support Black and minority farmers! The company just welcomed its first family farmers to join its new contract grower program created to support Black and minority farmers as it works to diversify its hog supply chain, per news shared in a press release. Smithfield is leading the charge through a new documentary from the lens of the Martin family, contract hog farmers for the Wayne County, North Carolina-based company. The project will address long withstanding barriers like access to capital and cost of capital for Black and minority farmers and is a part of the $15 million Unity & Action commitment made by Smithfield to level the playing field in food manufacturing, agriculture and education. “Our position as a leading food company and hog producer in America is accompanied by tremendous responsibility to our many stakeholders, including our people and communities,” said Shane Smith , president and chief executive officer of Smithfield Foods in...
Small African farmers are facing a multitude of problems that affect the progress of agricultural production on the continent. But software-for-agriculture startup Khula has an innovative solution that’s helping this niche industry thrive again. TechCrunch reports that the South African-based company just announced the raise of a $1.3 million seed round to help further scale its farming software and expand nationwide. The round, which closed last year, was led by AECI — one of Africa’s biggest agrochemical companies — and included participation from South African impact investor E Squared Investments. With financial-backing from its lead investor, Khula now has access to AECI’s wide distribution network which is poised to help the platform scale its inputs app. AECI’s support will go a long way as a long-term partner that’s genuinely interested in the execution of the platform’s services. “Khula has very attractive fundamentals, a sizable addressable market, app development...
Crop Swap LA™ hasn’t stopped yet when it comes to its mission of ending food insecurity. The company has announced that it will receive $4 million from The California Budget Act of 2021. The selection is a major move for Crop Swap LA™ as it continues to work to eradicate food insecurity and create hyper-local access to organically grown food through the use of sustainable agriculture practices. “Our team and supporters are thrilled to see this commitment of confidence, funds, and opportunity to the urgent need to grow nutrient-rich food directly within our communities,” continued Crop Swap LA Founder, Jamiah E. Hargins in the statement. “The funds will enable Crop Swap LA to continue its mission, widen its impact, and deepen its resolve. The people of California who contributed through these funds can feel satisfied knowing that our team is committed to redefining the spirit and intention of community-sourced food production. Senator Kamlager has made a direct investment in the...
Here we go again. A Wisconsin federal judge has ordered a temporary stop to the $4 billion federal loan relief program created to address decades of injustice faced by Black farmers. The decision to halt the program is the response to white tears after a group of white farmers filed a legal challenge in which they claim to have been discriminated upon (the nerve, right?). Last Thursday Judge William Griesbach issued a temporary restraining order that in turn blocked the U.S. Department of Agriculture from moving forward with the relief payments. According to NBC News , Griesbach said that the white farmers are “likely to succeed on the merits of their claim,” that the USDA’s “use of race-based criteria in the administration of the program violates their right to equal protection under the law.” Black farmers like John W. Boyd say that years of work have been put into the bill just for white counterparts to try and shut it down…again. “I’ve been trying for decades to get this passed...