The Summit title was gripping enough, "Still Fighting, Still Farming, and Still Eating," but the list of previous Summits and where this one fell was also of much interest. From 1997 to 2011, other Summits have been Black Land Loss: And Then There Was None; Justice for Black Farmers; Steps to Healing the Land; Ten Years After Pigford--Moving Forward; A Vision for the Future; and Save the Land--Benefit & Rally, just to name a few.
The Summit has a rich background against the legacy of land loss and discriminatory practices of the USDA. The Concerned Citizens of Tillery and the Land Loss Fund are also rich in history. See this link for a summary of these historical times and places.
Multiple goals were set for this year's Summit including reversing African American land loss, increasing the number of Black farm families in operation, and developing an inventory of what farm families produce around the country.
Dinner at the Tillery Community Center, a walk through the Tillery History House, and viewing and discussing the documentary "We Shall Not Be Moved: The History of the Resettlement Farm" got the Summit off to a good start.
On Saturday morning, a panel of Gary Grant, BFAA president; Rose Sanders, legal counsel for Black farmers under Pigford; and Dr. Ridgley Mu'min, Minister of Agriculture and director of the Nation of Islam's farm participated. The two-hour session was a review and history of the Pigford Class Action Suit and what it achieved and what is has left unaddressed. This was a fascinating time as three passionate leaders presented similar and different view points on Pigford.
On Saturday morning, a panel of Gary Grant, BFAA president; Rose Sanders, legal counsel for Black farmers under Pigford; and Dr. Ridgley Mu'min, Minister of Agriculture and director of the Nation of Islam's farm participated. The two-hour session was a review and history of the Pigford Class Action Suit and what it achieved and what is has left unaddressed. This was a fascinating time as three passionate leaders presented similar and different view points on Pigford.Stephen Bowens, Attorney at Law with Bowens Law, PLLC, presented the history and complications of Wise v. Veneman (2000) and most recent developments for the families and their cases following the decision by the courts to not certify a number of families as a class. In short, the courts are often not a place to seek justice in this day and age.
After lunch, I presented "Living, Dying, and Thriving: Family Life and the USDA." After several years of interviews, hours of discussing matters with farmers and family members, the verdict is clear: farming is hard work, farming for Black farmers is even more difficult, and when the USDA gets involved (as in the case for Pigford claimants and others), many signs and symptoms of the impact of discrimination are seen in the life, health, and family of the farmer and family.
Dr. Spencer Wood, sociology faculty, Kansas State University, presented a complex set of data and interpretations related to Black land loss in "Land Loss, Confusing Statistics, & Economics of Land Ownership." He is the premier expert on this topic. In short, it is not a pretty picture.
Doroathy Barker facilitated a group of panelists from the USDA on "USDA Rural Development and Forestry Divisions--Operation Spring Plant," in which options for the use of land were presented. If matters can be trusted, there are multiple options available for minority farmers to work the land successfully.
Crystal Matthews, attorney with the Land Loss Prevention Project, Durham, NC described the "Land Loss Prevention Project's Smart Growth Business Center." Interesting material. See this link for more.
Scott Muhammad, Co-Director with his wife, Erica Henry, of Students for Education and Economic Development (SEED, Inc.), Eutaw, Alabama, presented a challenging and captivating presentation on how to get city cousins onto the land. More specifically, his 16-week apprenticeship program looks like a doable venture.
Planning for the future brought together Gary Grant, BFAA president; Eddie Wise, farmer and entrepreneur from North Carolina; and Willie Wright, research associate from UNC to the table to discuss "Where Do We Go from Here? Planning for the Future." The struggle for justice in the USDA and its policies, diversity in farming, and the future of Black land ownership were discussed.
Again, there is much to be done.
