Western New York and Southern Tier Black farmers are looking for your support!
According to the 2017 USDA Agricultural Census there are only 139 Black farmers in NYS, compared to 57,000 white farmers statewide, and Black farmers make just $1 for every $5 a white farmer makes.
“Farming is big business in New York State — a $42 billion industry on which every other sector relies. Yet black farmers’ contributions in New York are often undercounted, overlooked, and undervalued, to the detriment of the health and prosperity of black communities statewide.”
– from Black Farmers United NYS
For these reasons and more, Food for the Spirit has been supporting Black farmers in New York State since 2019 through education, outreach, advocacy, and support for the development of networks and cooperative systems.
In 2021, we established the Genesee Valley Black Farmers Collective Marketing Project, a collective marketing project to serve Black farmers in the nine counties in the Genesee Valley of New York State. We engaged local farmers in the project and enlisted marketing and design support from Buffalo-based artist and food entrepreneur Alexa Joan Wajed of Eat Off Art.
Linked below are the Farmers Portraits created by Eat Off Art. Visit them to get to know each of the farmers and learn how you can support them:
Alison Espinosa of Rootworkers Croft
- Allison is seeking venues (both virtual and in-person) with public school students and families in Rochester to share her expertise about farming and animal husbandry, as well as clients for farming, gardening, livestock husbandry, and herbalism.
- Check out Alison’s Farmer Portrait at: bit.ly/GVBlackFarmer_AlisonEspinosa.
- Alison can be reached by email at rootworkerscroft (@) gmail.com.
Wil Moss, Jr. of Moss Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
- Wil is seeking support with transportation and distribution to get their farm products to additional markets, and looking for support with equipment and labor to plant, cultivate, harvest, and take product to market.
- Check out Wil’s Farmer Portrait at: bit.ly/GVBlackFarmer_MossFarm.
- Email Wil Moss, Jr. at wemossjr (@) hotmail.com.
Pamela ReeseSmith of Harlem Brood Teas
- Pamela is looking for venues (both virtual and in-person) to teach and educate underserved communities urban farming, growing herbs and vegetables, as well as clients who wish to consult with her around her expertise.
- Check out Pamela’s Farmer Portrait at: bit.ly/GVBlackFarmer_PamelaReeseSmith.
- You can reach Pamela on her business phone at: (585) 404-3885.
Through our collective efforts, we envision farmers of color coming together to learn from each other, share resources, and offer each other support in mutually-beneficial forums. We hope you will support us in bringing about this vision.
You can support our efforts through a donation or grant made to Food for the Spirit. To support the Genesee Valley Black Farmers Project and related efforts, contact Rebekah (@) foodforthespirit.org.
More ways to engage:
- Watch the video of our Portraits of Black Farmers event at bit.ly/GV_PortraitsVideo
- View the farmer’s collective story at bit.ly/2022_GVBlackFarmers2
Learn about Eat Off Art at www.eatoffart.com.
This project was made possible through a grant from the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority and the NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets.