'We are facing extinction': Black farmers in steep decline

[King Poetic]

Its a shame. Black children aren't even interested in farming overall right now smh.

And that goes for a lot of industries black kids have abandoned do to the fact it’s not a glamorous position

 

[Rawtid]

And that goes for a lot of industries black kids have abandoned do to the fact it’s not a glamorous position

Urban farming is a growing industry and I believe we will see increased interest.

 

[skylove4]

growing food will NEVER go out of style. you buggin lol.. and no the article suggests and that Black people should be represented in every facet of society. it just focuses on farming.

lol @ discarding something as vital as food production but this is an essential business not a want business. that's incredibly short sighted. even rich folks supplement their meals with things grown in their vegetable gardens. some of you brehs are just fully indoctrinated into being consumers for life. that mentality you can't shake.

growing food isn't important you say but growing weed is.

Calm your ass down I’m not saying it’s not important to me personally because I believe it’s a good thing and attempt it myself I’m saying the truth is it isn’t important to most people
In America by facts not what you feel

 

[MajesticLion]

 

[parallax]

ffa and 4h clubs need to be more common in schools.

 

[NinoBrown]

Wake up @ 4am and endure backbreaking labor for pennies?

Naw, stick with city life, this isn't the 18th century anymore.

 

[Rawtid]

growing food will NEVER go out of style. you buggin lol.. and no the article suggests and that Black people should be represented in every facet of society. it just focuses on farming.

lol @ discarding something as vital as food production but this is an essential business not a want business. that's incredibly short sighted. even rich folks supplement their meals with things grown in their vegetable gardens. some of you brehs are just fully indoctrinated into being consumers for life. that mentality you can't shake.

growing food isn't important you say but growing weed is.

Important and financially rewarding are different. A farmer has to have a lucrative crop and weed will give a better financial yield. I do agree being able to grow your own food is invaluable and important, but again you still need a valuable crop. Sharing potatoes with your neighbors ain't gonna cut it.

 

[UberEatsDriver]

Its a shame. Black children aren't even interested in farming overall right now smh.

From a global point of view nobody is really.

 

[UberEatsDriver]

One of my uncles is a wealthy farmer in Guadeloupe. Lives on top of a mountain and owns a ridiculous amount of land. Always trading goods with the Indians.

 

[African Peasant]

Its a shame. Black children aren't even interested in farming overall right now smh.

People here mock my username all the time.

 

[Jimmy from Linkedin]

Its a shame. Black children aren't even interested in farming overall right now smh.

And that goes for a lot of industries black kids have abandoned do to the fact it’s not a glamorous position

I volunteer at an urban farm out here in charlotte (PM me for more details) that pays black highschoolers to grow vegetables. A lot of them even dont see the opportunity that is in front of them right now. Lack of exposure is really criminal. They don't see what it can become for them. They very much enjoy it but getting an honest days work out of them is very difficult.

A lot of farmers are struggling, and because of that we are getting hit hardest. For the most part it is a wash trying to commodity crop. More farmers have to make relationships directly with institutions, like unfortunately restaurants, adn become exclusive suppliers. Many of the farmers that we are lamenting in this thread are farming commodities and with how NAFTA and other trade agreements work, farming corn, wheat, and soybeans aint gonna cut it. The farms unfortunately also do not have the time on their hands to be able to become more of a marketer/market maker for themselves and sell to coops or larger distribution things.

Some of the things I am saying have been covered very well since the 80s in the book How to make $100,000 on 25 Acres by Dr. Booker T. Whatley.

 

[Chrishaune]

I hope federal Marijuana legalization happens fast and black farmers should have first dibs on growing it and even being subsidized by the government .


America isn’t an agricultural society anymore,and it never will be again because advancements in technology makes growing your own crops unnecessary .

Until a famine hits and you are stuck depending on the government providing for you. A lot of people will die in that situation.

 

[skylove4]

Until a famine hits and you are stuck depending on the government providing for you. A lot of people will die in that situation.

It would be to late for folks then unfortunately

 

[Michael's Black Son]

We need lightspeed travel trains like in Europe, where people can migrate from rural to urban areas in a matter of minutes. Only then, will people would be interested in rural farming again, and get their fix of urban nightlife.

Yup.

Even a hyperloop at half the promised speeds would still be light years better than Amtrak.

 

[Ya' Cousin Cleon]

It's gonna sound counterproductive

but your best bet is urban farming.

I'm starting a farm before I die and I'm raising my kids to carry it on. I'm already buying each of them a peice of land every birthday. They don't care now but they will when they own 1000s of acres by the time they're adults

Is there some kind of Black farmer association where we can learn and work together?