BLACK FARMER'S INDEX

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Black Farmers Index (The Index), addresses food insecurity, food system failures and inequities in agricultural in our commitment to ensure that Black farmers and growers thrive. This is done by providing a more successful consumer-to-Black farmer pipeline, as well as, connecting agriculturalists to agencies, institutions, and salient resources that build their overall business through creative marketing, educational services, outreach and intentional community building.

The Index employs four pillars of focus: 1. Increase marketing towards the Black AG ecosystem that includes growers, ranchers, fisherfolk, beekeepers, foragers and foresters; 2. Collect, assess and distribute more accurate information on Black growers; 3. Provide resources on pathways for harvesters’ access to capital; and 4. Advocate and inform Black agriculturalists on how to acquire farmland.

The Index drives exposure to Black farmers in the following ways: a comprehensive online directory; social media promotion and short narratives; educational workshops for farmers; food-centered virtual and  in-person events; curated farmer lists for individuals and  institutions; carefully selected gift box highlighting food-items of growers; feature stories in news or other media outlets; data gathering and reporting; sharing stories through our farm visits; connecting farmers with business opportunities and resources; creating a robust ecosystem for farmers to connect with each other; and collaborations with organizations and companies on initiatives.

Our Roots: Black Farmers Index

Black Farmers Index started as a solutions-based journalism project launched by Ark Republic on April 14, 2020 as a way to provide a small list of Black farmers to address the shortages of resources during the global pandemic. We started with two questions: Who would be affected first when there is a food shortage? And, how can I be a part of the solution? 

Because so many Black people live in food deserts and food swamps, as a result of being forced out of the agrarian lifestyle, the answer was sobering. The remedy was to ask those in our communities who are closest to food: Black farmers. 

Because farmers who were subsidized by the USDA were forced to discard thousands of tonnes of food, it resulted in supply disruptions. However, many Black farmers who remained independent were viable options, but lacked the exposure and presence in markets to sell or distribute their food.  As well, they were left out of solving the emerging food crisis. 

Already, it has been documented that Black growers have faced generations of discrimination  in agribusiness. Consequently, the United States Department of  Agriculture (USDA) has missed thousands of Black agriculturalists who could contribute greatly to the agricultural industry. More specifically, we identified Black growers who worked in niche markets such as urban agriculture, organic, naturally-grown, coops, specialty ethnic produce, seed saving, heritage crops and other fascinating areas that mainstream and commercial agriculture has overlooked, and even appropriated without crediting or including the Black grower community.

Yet and still, this provided an excellent moment to offer a solution. Create and generate a repository of Black farmers for the public to access that was simple and easy to use.  Thus began a commitment to bring as much business to Black growers with a simple model, direct consumers straight to farmers, all the while, asking them how they survived generations of inequities in agriculture to cull answers and an equitable agenda so we can all thrive.

Initially, the list was 150 farmers. Today we have over approximately 1,300 row crop farmers, small-to-medium sized growers, ranchers, poultry farmers, vegetable and fruit producers, grains and nut harvesters, beekeepers, fisherfolk, oystermen, foresters, foragers, vintners and more.

From the directory, we have been in communication with hundreds of farmers across the U.S. who tell us their stories and provide information on what they need to grow and compete in the markets. From modest-sized operations to growing enterprises, there is one thing for sure about Black growers---they are not looking for a handout, but merely their space in agribusiness. Work with us to diversify our food supplies. 

How did we grow? Because of the overwhelming response from the public during the George Floyd protests, when Juneteenth came along, there was an explosion of people across racial and social lines interested in supported Black growers and closing the deep fissures in food and agriculture. Quickly, the Index organically evolved into its own identity. 

In July 2020, we became a non-profit organization. In October 2021, we were granted 501 c3 status.

Today we focus on several main areas:

1. Expanding the directory 

2. Highlighting Black agriculturalists 

3. Bringing business to our Index members

4. Providing information to farmers 

5. Educating farmers and the public

6. Hosting events connecting growers to consumers

7. Researching and writing reports on Black farmers

March 2020 | Initiated research for Black Farmers Index

April 2020 | Published first listing of Black Farmers as a project from Ark Republic

June 2020 | Launched official website and social media handles

July 2020 | Established as a non-profit entity

December 2020 | Began fundraising partnership with Ark Republic; Month-long fundraiser

December 2020 | First installment of Black Farmer and a Chef series featuring R&R Farms and Bourne Brilliant and prepared by Chef Khari Hairston-El of Jaja Bakery who made a variety of cheesecakes---both dairy and vegan

December 2020 | Second installment of Black Farmer and a Chef series featuring Apex  Seafood Market, Summers Prep, Earth & Field Salt Co. 

May 2021 | Founder Kaia Shivers’ work on BFI featured in NYU Alumni Magazine

June 2021 | Featured in San Diego Union-Tribune

August 2021 | Awarded SARE grant

November 2021 | 501 c3 status granted

November 2021 | Launched Vittles: Sown with Soul, a curated selection of premium foods from Black Farmers

May 2022 | Awarded SARE grant

June 2022 | Facilitated "Soil to Shelf" series

August 2022 | Entered into partnership with Organic Trade Association

August 2023 | Working with Florida Organic Growers in the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) in the Southeast Region

September 2023 | Working with Pennsylvania Certified Growers in the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) in the Mid-Atlantic Region

December 2023 | Working with https://www.accreditedcertifiers.org/ in the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) in the Mid-Atlantic Region

January 2024 | Co-sponsored dinner at the Black Mid-Atlantic Conference

January 2024 | Collaborative growing project with Charlie Southward of IGH Gardens in Long Beach, Calif.

The Back Story

Food is the backbone of any society. During the global Covid-19 crisis, food as the lifeline of the world has become more evident. But when online news outlet, Ark Republic saw growing food insecurities in the US, they wanted to offer a solution.

During Ark Republic’s reporting and analysis from China to Europe, they predicted that food security would be one of the most critical issues in the US. When they discovered the fast-growing food security issues in the country, they wanted to offer a solution rather than continue to report on the problems. One of their answers was to compile a list of Black farmers who could sell directly to consumers immediately.

They selected Black farmers due to an ongoing history of them experiencing the roughest hardships during every economic crisis in the US. In general, Blacks have undergone generations of systemic racism and domestic terror, but agrarian Black communities were the first, and longest to know the various types of economic assault and lack of security, post-Emancipation. In knowing that, we concluded that the most vulnerable and exploited group in the farming industry should be used.

From a practical view, Black farmers understand how to carry out some of the most challenging work with little resources. With the current state of the US, we are in dire need of that type of mastery of knowledge. As a result, Ark Republic reached out to farming networks on several social media platforms, spoke to farmers directly, and conducted extensive research for two weeks.

In the first wave of data gathering, they discovered a grave lack of information on Black farms and farmers, which proved to be difficult for our project. According to the Department of Agriculture, in 2017, there were 3.2 million white farmers, but only 45,508 Black-owned farms. Along with their under-representation and financial woes, we discovered that many Black farmers fall within the Baby Boomers generation and have limited access to technology or effective digital literacy skills. Nonetheless, the response was overwhelming by a younger wave of the Black agrarian community who insisted to compile data for them. 

Due to the strong response, Black Farmers Index was birthed as it's own entity. It became a non-profit organization in July 2020. Now it is a sister organization and fiscal sponsor to Ark Republic. 

In the Black Farmer’s Index, we offer a region-by-region listing of Black farms. The data is ever-growing, so if you have a farmer to add, we welcome the addition.