Thread by @jennawadsworth

Black farmers matter.

#BlackLivesMatter #NCAg

https://twitter.com/nfudc/status/1272568304515846145

Heads up: This is going to be a LONG thread, but a very important one if you're interested in the plight of our Black farmers and our small farmers in this country.

Black Farmers Matter!

#NCAg #NCpol #agriculture

I have a number of concerns re: @USDA's aid distribution & program implementation of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Chiefly, I'm concerned with how aid will be made available to minority farmers & small producers, particularly young & nontraditional farmers.

I'm concerned, as well, about how these growers will even be made aware of the program. @USDA prioritized making the CFAP assistance easy to apply for, instead of focusing on equitable or just administration of funds.

To understand why minority farmers are at risk for not applying for the program or even being made aware of the opportunity, you have to understand the systemic racism that has plagued @USDA and the @usdafsa--the Agency responsible for administering the grant funds.

Per the article, "Many black farmers still distrust...FSA offices after decades of discriminatory loan practices, which led to black farmers losing their land. Some farmers from underserved communities...don’t have a relationship with the FSA office, due to language barriers..."

Small farmers will be disadvantaged for @USDA CFAP aid for several reasons. Let's break down the reasons why.

#NCAg #USDA #COVID19 #Farm

First, the @USDA CFAP aid available is proportional to crop price losses that only uses wholesale commodity prices from earlier this year instead of accounting for small farmers charging a higher price for their products than wholesalers do in order to cover their higher costs.

This aid doesn't account for losses in revenue or for the money on unpaid invoices that farmers still have as a result of many restaurants closing or having been unable to conduct business during the #COVID19 pandemic.

Moreover, the aid is being distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis, which puts farmers w/ a difficult planting season at a disadvantage to those who either have a simpler planting season or who put crops in the ground earlier & thereby had more time to apply for this aid.

Small farmers, particularly minority farmers, have been at a significant disadvantage for years. Many aid programs--not just @USDA's CFAP--prioritize larger, industrial, and corporate entities over them. Small dairies continue to close up shop throughout America. #COVID19 #NCAg

Small farmers continue to face a wave of uncertainty with weather and other farm stresses increasing, resulting in more bankruptcies and an increase in the suicide rate.

#NCAg #ClimateChange #ClimateAction #ClimateChangeIsReal #Farming

Our agricultural community is in crisis. We can't keep supporting folks on the federal--or state--level who don't value our small farmers and producers.

One day, there won't be any going back.

One day, we won't be able to fix this problem.

#NCAg #Farming #NCpol

Black farmers matter. Small farmers need our support. Nontraditional growers are struggling.

We need leadership in the agricultural sector. We need it now.

#NCpol #NCAg #NCFarms #BlackFarmers #BlackLivesMatter #USDA #COVID19