25 Ways to Support Black Farmers

by Eco.Soul.Intellectual

Food and water shortages will be the next major issue worldwide, and we have the opportunity to prevent hunger and the rapidly developing diseases that are occurring due to GMO foods, foods with too many pesticides, and mass produced produce that just ain't produce any more.

This statement will not sound like anything close to a conspiracy theory when we are hungry. Hell, we already are fat and sick due to the chemicals in the food.

At one time, US agriculture was solely done with black hands, nowadays, African-Americans can barely maintain farmland since they are only 1% of the agricultural population in the country.

However, black farmers are still fighting and need the resources of the blogging community to step up, and let their stories be known, and as well, our dollars to support.

Black farmers market in Savannah.

1. Donate to the National Black Farmers Association, or Save Black Farmers, or the Southeastern African American Farmers Network.
2. Volunteer time in preparing farmers, assessing needs, and recovery process
3. Get your university and school involved in sponsoring and advocating for black farmers
4. Purchase as much of your goods as possible from black producers
5. Provide legal services especially in the following areas: land preservation assistance and remediation Services
6. First Response Services
7. Use social media and Internet skills to provide free Media Services
8. Research and Implementation Services needed for farmers to know the various resources available
9. Provide the following supplies: Seeds (untreated or organic only, Seedlings (untreated or organic only, Compost, Hoop houses, Fruit trees, Tractors, Wood, Nails
10. Remediation Equipment, First Aid Supplies, Tillers, Green Houses, Pole Buildings
11. Field trips to visit black farms
12. Encourage your local stores to purchase from black producers during this week
13. Do community events around issues in black agriculture,
14. Youth outreach and engagement to encourage more children of color to go into agriculture
15. Host a black farmers market
16. Run stories in news papers about Black Agriculture
17. Advocate for more services and programs that help increase the number of black producers
18. Advocate and help make black producers self-sustaining
19. Help create innovative ways that allow farmers to get their produce consumed by the larger communities, especially in the cities.
20. Donate transportation services like drivers and refrigerated trucks
21. Seek mentorship and plant knowledge from a black farmer because the average age is 63-years
22. Create list of farmers markets where black farmers and/or growers are featured.
23. Join an urban growers network like the urban growers network primarily in the boroughs of New York. Click here for more information.
24. Add to this list of black farmers. This list was taken from the Southeaster African American Farmers Network's list of organic farmers. For list, click here.
25. Grow your own shit. At least a vegetable, an herb (cannabis doesn't count) or something!