Harvesting Diversity: Empowering Underrepresented Voices in Agriculture through Education and Training

Agricultural Equity in Diverse Communities-III

Harvesting Diversity: Empowering Underrepresented Voices in Agriculture through Education and Training

The growing awareness of the need for agricultural equity has led to a large variety of educational, training, and experiential opportunities for minority-owned farmers. Agricultural equity is good for business, families, communities, and the economy.- BY James Hsu
Educational programs and training opportunities tailored to underrepresented groups in agriculture are essential for promoting diversity, inclusivity, and equity. By providing the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to succeed, these initiatives enhance individual livelihoods and contribute to broader societal and economic development goals. As a result of the investment, collaboration, and commitment from governments, educational institutions, nonprofits, and the private sector, there are many unique options ranging from apprenticeships to online training. The examples provided are just a glimpse into the extraordinary effort to address historical injustices that have significantly reduced minority-owned farm and diverse agricultural producer levels.

Partnerships That Educate and Train Underserved Farmers
The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) partnered with Cargill to develop the 12-week Acres program. As a learning program, it helps Black farmers get certified as minority business enterprises, gain access to technology and new markets, access capital, address growth issues specifically related to farming, and develop a plan for business growth so they can achieve national contracts. Farmers in the program get the opportunity to apply to a Business Consortium Fund for micro-loans supporting business growth.

The Tuskegee University Small Farm Rural Economic Development Center in Alabama partners with federal and state agencies, financial and community organizations, and private entrepreneurs. The Center targets rural development efforts. One example of the many effective approaches to training socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers is the partnership with the Ala-Tom area Resource & Conservation Council, which assisted Tuskegee’s Small Farm Center by initiating alternative agricultural enterprise through technical assistance.

Tools and Resources Supporting Small to Mid-Scale Farmers
RAFI-USA (Rural Advancement Foundation International) developed Resources for Resilient Farms, a project to educate small to mid-scale farmers, especially within RAFI’s Farmers of Color Network. A Training and Webinar Library discusses topics like navigating the USDA’s FSA loan applications, obtaining Climate-Smart Regenerative Certification through A Greener World, and writing grants. RAFI also offers technical assistance with FSA loans to farmers of color located in the Southeast, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Cornell University’s Small Farms Program in Ithaca, New York, is a state education and training effort supporting small farm business development. There are online courses for improving technical and business skills, in-person training and workshops on farming and marketing agricultural products, farming guides for asylum seekers and new arrivals with employment status, and numerous projects for beginning and experienced farmers. Many projects specifically address diverse farmers, like Spanish-speaking business entrepreneurs, and offer outreach to minority landowners.

Apprenticeships Providing Hands-On Learning
The Black Oaks Center in Illinois focuses on building community and sustainability. One program is the Pembroke Farm Restoration Apprenticeship for Black farmers, designed to cultivate the next generation of Black farmers through independent study and experiential learning with environmental sustainability practices. Different focus areas of practice include rice growing, blueberry production, medicinal herbs, post-harvest marketplace for healthy foods, and beekeeping. Colorado State University’s Food Systems offers Frontline Farming’s Immersion Program for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. The goal is to increase leadership and access for women and people of color in food systems. Frontline Farming also offers classes and workshops, with farming sites in Arvada and Denver.

Future Harvest, a membership nonprofit of the Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, works with member farms to offer farmer-to-farmer education and beginner farmer training. The Beginner Farmer Training Program (BFTP) is a 3-level, yearlong program that uses the Field School for farmer-to-farmer knowledge transfer, education workshops, and expert presentations. Since 2009, the BFTP has trained 400 people, with 65% female and almost 50% Black.

Building Equity For Generations to Come
The Black Farmer Equity Initiative from Cargill operationalizes equity across agriculture and food systems. The initiative focuses on markets, capital, and info & tech. Participating producers get education and training on issues like business and estate planning, regenerative agriculture, next-generation agriculture, and training and business skills development.

The best way to understand the importance of pursuing agricultural equity is to talk to a Black farmer. John Lee, a fourth-generation farmer, farms land that has been in his family since his great-grandfather became a freed slave. For John, the farm is his livelihood and legacy. Partnering with Cargill was a chance to pursue new opportunities. Lee raises various crops, including cotton. Working with Cargill, he learned to raise cotton sustainably, which has increased profitability. The Cargill Black Farmer Equity Initiative partners with several organizations, including the NMSDC, the National Black Growers Council, and the Fort Valley State University AgriUnity Program. One of the partnering organizations is the Freedmen Heirs Foundation, which provides technical insights on risk management, contract management, and business priorities, and helps make connections to market opportunities for new young farmers.

Growing a Future in Today’s Multi-national Business Environment
The effort to pursue agricultural equity is not limited to helping small minority farmers keep their farmland. It is about helping them grow their businesses. The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) collaborated with the only black-owned rice mill in the U.S., helping PJ Haynie, Arkansas River Rice owner, become a food exporter.

After going on a trade mission to Kenya and Tanzania, Arkansas River Rice became a supplier for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program, which helps FAS boost food security, child development, and education in low-income countries experiencing food shortages. It was the company’s first contract to export rice. FAS is working to educate minority farmers on international trade and connect them to opportunities to grow their businesses and support social justice.

More than Farms
These are just a few examples of the programs available to underrepresented groups in agriculture. Each is designed to address these individuals' unique needs and challenges, providing the knowledge, skills, and support needed to thrive in the agricultural sector. Collaborating with diverse farmers and agricultural producers helps owners grow their businesses by ending systemic discrimination through education and support, and when the farmers thrive, so do their communities. When communities thrive, so does the U.S.