In 2022, NMSDC and Cargill launched a new program to advance agricultural supply chain access for Black farmers. According to McKinsey & Company, today just 1.4% of farmers identify as Black or mixed race compared with about 14% a century ago. Furthermore, these farmers represent less than 0.5% of total U.S. farm sales. Perhaps, even more disturbing, Black farmers operate at 70% of US peer-level farm revenue. Because of this extreme inequity in the U.S. agricultural industry and thanks to the support from Cargill, we launched the Black Farmers Equity Initiative. This collaborative initiative aimed to create a pathway for emerging Black farmers to achieve parity in the agriculture industry with learning solutions, certification, lending, networking, and new contracts.
After an exciting first year, Walmart, Cargill, and UNFI supported the expansion of the program, now called Acres: Cultivating Equity in Black Agriculture. The expanded program looks to develop more farmers on an annual basis and consists of two elements: a learning program and strategic business support. Express interest in the program for the next cohort.
Learning Program
Program participants complete a 12-week learning curriculum focused on growing their capacity to take on major national contracts with corporate members. Topics covered in this program include:
- Getting certified as a minority business enterprise (MBE) and how it can open opportunities for Black farmers.
- Accessing capital, getting capital ready, and leveraging micro-loans.
- Addressing issues of growth such as storage, putting acreage into production and equipment management.
- Building negotiation skills.
- Developing a plan for and managing growth.
- Reviewing opportunities and challenges shared by corporate members.
NMSDC is creating equitable practices and pathways for Black farmers in the agriculture industry. The application deadline for Cohort II is October 30, 2023.
Criteria for the Program:
- Must be a farmer with an agriculture for profit enterprise and physically located in the U. S. or its trust territories with revenue of at least $25,000 per year.
- Minority business must be at least 51% Black–owned, managed, and controlled. Participants must meet the African American/Black definition as set by NMSDC.
- Management and daily operations must be exercised by the Black ownership member(s).
- Must have two years of farming experience.
- Must be registered with the Secretary of State in the state where business is conducted.
- Must have a business bank account.
- Must have proof of United States Citizenship.
Please contact Amber Smith at amber.smith@nmsdc.org for questions about this program.
