July 12th 2023.
The National Minority Supplier Development Council is making strides to put more goods from Black farmers on store shelves, having recently gained an additional $480,000 to help propel the effort. This funding, comprised of $400,000 from agricultural giant Cargill and $80,000 from grocery wholesaler United Natural Foods Inc., will be used to expand the council's Acres: Cultivating Equity in Black Agriculture program. This program, formerly known as the Black Farmer Equity Initiative, provides training and certification to Black farmers and ranchers, allowing them to access new markets and, as a result, increase their incomes.
The NMSDC reports that Cargill and UNFI have contributed a total of over $500,000 to the program. Their goal is to triple the number of trained ranchers and farmers, and the next cohort will include 30 individuals, three times the size of the first cohort of 11 farmers. Interested applicants will be notified when the program opens in early 2024, and they can fill out a form here.
The need for this program is clear, as McKinsey & Company data showed that only 1.4% of farmers identify as Black or mixed race, compared to 14% a century ago. They also represent under 0.5% of total U.S. farm sales and operate at 70% of U.S. peer-level farm revenue. Cargill and the NMSDC have designed the Acres program to address this issue and advance agricultural supply chain access for Black individuals, providing strategic business support and skills development, certification aid, and access to funding opportunities.
"We are incredibly excited for the continued interest in NMSDC Acres," stated Lisa Morris, NMSDC Vice President of Strategic Alliances, Programs, and Events. Guillaume Bagal, VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Wellbeing at UNFI, noted, "UNFI is proud to support NMSDC Acres as a founding circle member in the effort to create a more inclusive agricultural system in the United States."
Natalie McGrady, Supplier Diversity Lead at Cargill, added, "We are working with farmers, customers, and organizations like NMSDC to close equity gaps that have existed for too long in the fabric of our food system. Our partnership with NMSDC is one example of our commitment to working with diverse suppliers. We launched the Black Farmer Equity Initiative to help increase participation, productivity, and profitability by putting farmers, ranchers, and growers at the center of the solution."
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