Over the last 100 years, the number of African American farm-operators has plummeted from nearly 1,000,000 to a little over 45,000 today, now making up only 1.3 percent of producers, according to USDA Census of Agriculture. This decline is no accident but a result of years of discrimination and unequal opportunities. While the problem is huge, land trusts can play an important part in changing this dynamic. Join Ebonie Alexander, Black Family Land Trust, and Mary Burke, Land Trust Alliance, as they discuss how we got to this point and the current challenges facing African American farmers Participants will also have the opportunity of hearing first-hand from Joe Thompson, a former tobacco farmer and one of the only FRPP easements in the programs history. Filled with real-life stories and practical tips, this workshop is a must for land trusts who want to help families keep their land.
This workshop will cover:
--What land trusts need to know when reaching out to the African American farming community, including simple strategies to build trust
--The nuts and bolts of Heirs’ Property, including why it is a problem and how Maryland passed the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (UPHPA)
--What small acreage landowners can do to keep their land assets as performing assets.