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SUMMARY The 1997 agriculture census revealed a significant
increase in Black farmers in the 13 Georgia counties in which the
Federation is offering technical assistance - an increase that could not
have happened by chance. Clearly, as indicated in this report, providing
information and technical assistance to farmers makes a difference in the
livelihood of individual farmers and the communities where they reside.
In 1969, it was predicted that by the year 2000, there would be no
black-owned land in America. At that time, blacks owned six million acres,
but were losing land at an annual rate of over 300,000 acres. In 1982 the
US Commission on Civil Rights published a report stating that the primary
reason Blacks have lost land is because of the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) itself. The 1982 report confirmed what was
already legendary - that assistance provided by the USDA Extension
Services throughout the country has often been denied minority farmers
resulting in tragic consequences for family farmers and their
communities.
After a extensive coalition building and strong advocacy efforts on the
part of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, this
injustice was partially rectified by the passage of the Minority Farmer
Rights Act (Section 2501) entitled the “Outreach and Technical
Assistance Program for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers”,
which was incorporated into the 1990 Farm Bill. While Congress
approved an annual budget of $10 million for Section 2501 it has yet to
appropriate an average of $3 million since its passage - find which are
distributed between land grant colleges and community based
organization.
With the passage and implementation of this legislation, 1890 “Black”
Land Grant Colleges and community based organizations (CBOs) have been
able to implement a comprehensive, technical assistance program to help
farmers develop a holistic approach to farming that helps make farming
more profitable and improves the quality of life for entire communities.
The 2501 outreach program to farmers has made a considerable and positive
impact on Black farmer survival which is indicated by the 1997
agriculture census.
Studies have found that the agriculture census is not necessarily an
accurate reflection of the total number of Black farmers, in fact, there
are probably more Black farmers than indicated in the census. Still, this
five year census report it is our best measurement over time.
While the Federation offers technical assistance to farmers from its
fofices in South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Misssissippi, our 2501
project in Georgia is our oldest and largest. To date, we have 18 Georgia
counties in the project. The 1997 census states there are 1,175 Black
farmers in Georgia of which 328 or 28% reside in our eighteen 2501
counties.
In Georgia, 111 counties reported a population of Black farmers.
Statewide, from 1992 to 1997, there was an increase of 95 Black farmers.
Of the 18 counties in our 2501 project there was an actual increase of 66
Black farmers. Interestingly, the increase in our 2501 Georgia project,
then, represents 73% of the increase in Black farmers in the State of
Georgia.
Given the above percentage changes, we are very optimistic. As to what
accounts for this optimistic trend, there are perhaps many explanations.
It is important to note that the 1997 census was for the first time
administered by the US Department of Agriculture rather than the US Census
Bureau. This change in the administering of the census could be one
factor. Perhaps the USDA encouraged more participation by farmers in the
census. But the above analysis seems to indicate there might be something
else impacting on the Black farmer community.
The 73% increase of Black farmers in Georgia occurring 13 counties
is not likely to have happened by chance. It is in these counties where
there has been a long and sustained outreach effort through the Federation’s
2501 technical assistance project. Given this, it seems fairly clear
that when services, information and technical assistance are provided to
farmers and their community there will be a positive response.
Our initial findings from the 1997 census indicate that 2501 has been
successful in fulfilling it’s mandate of providing services to Black
farmers. It is therefore imperative that 2501 remain an integral part of
the USDA’s outreach effort and be adequately and permanently funded by
Congress.
In 1997, under the direction of Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and
Assistant Secretary for Administration, Pearlie Reed, the USDA’s Civil
Rights Action Team (CRAT) held listening sessions across the country which
dramatically revealed the dismal record of racial discrimination, neglect
and abuses by the USDA. This led to the development of 92 recommendations
by CRAT to address these problems within the USDA. The Civil Rights
Action Team and Civil Rights Implementation Team work is encouraging and
we in the Federation welcome and support these courageous, if long
overdue, initiatives.
To adequately address the needs of Black farmers and other underserved
farmers, what’s needed now is: (1) Full funding ($10 million) of the
Section 2501 Outreach, Education and Technical Assistance Program;
(2) Full appropriation and targeting of FSA Farm Ownership and
Operating Loans (with emphasis on direct rather than guaranteed loans) for
people of color and limited resource farmers; (3) Equity in the selection
of farmer members of the Farm Service Agency controlled County Committees;
(4) Full implementation of all 92 CRAT recommendations; (5) Appropriation
of $10 million for the Cooperative Development Grants Program (formerly
Section 2347 FACT).
While the latest Agricultural Census for the first time this century
revealed only slight decline in the overall rate of African-American owned
farm loss, in fact there was reported an increase in some states. We
believe these encouraging statistics are due in large part to the work
that CBO’s and 1890 Land Grant Colleges have able to accomplish under
2501 - an impact that could have been far greater given the full funding
of 2501. Finally, fully funding the 2501 Program at the approved $10
million would be minuscule on the overall USDA budget, yet its economic,
social and political impact on Black America would be almost
immeasurable.
For more details on this article contact Jerry Pennick of the
Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund at (404) 765
0991.
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