Nature For Justice’s Farmer Inclusion Program: Ten Technical Impacts

October 25, 2023

"Patrick and N4J’s Program are helping us do things we haven’t done before in terms of improving the quality of the land, the quality of our crops and help with the cost of our labor. We don’t have to pay out of our pocket as much this year for inputs. These regenerative practices are absolutely needed."

Since the start of the Farmer Inclusion Program for Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Farmers in North Carolina, N4J has been providing farmers with funding upfront that has proven to have several technical impacts on their agriculture programs:

Improved Farming Practices: Access to upfront funding has allowed NC BIPOC farmers to invest in modern agricultural technology, machinery, and tools. This has improved farming practices, increased productivity, and better crop management.
Increased Crop Diversity: With N4J financial support, farmers can experiment with a wider range of crops, leading to crop diversity. This helps diversify income sources and mitigate risks associated with potential crop failures.
Precision Agriculture: Upfront funding has enabled BIPOC farmers to finally be able to invest in the adoption of precision agriculture technology. These technologies enhance resource management, reduce waste, and optimize yields.
Sustainable Agriculture: Financial support has been directed towards sustainable farming practices, such as No-Till, Reduce Till, Hedgerow Incorporation, Biomass & Forage planting, Cover Crop planting and Silvopasture Incorporation. This helps reduce carbon negative footprint, environmental impact and promotes long-term sustainability.
Irrigation and Water Management: N4J funding has been used to help with irrigation infrastructure, water management systems, improving water efficiency, and ensuring consistent crop yields.
Research and Development: With the upfront funding and partnerships with technical advisors BIPOC farmers have engaged in research and development activities, leading to the creation of new, innovative farming techniques and products.
Data Analytics: BIPOC farmers access to N4J funds has facilitated the help needed to collect data related to crop yields, weather patterns, and market trends which has enabled data-driven decision-making.
Supply Chain Integration: N4J funding for BIPOC farmers has been used to integrate into modern supply chains, providing access to markets, storage facilities, and transportation and helping to improve the efficiency of the agricultural sector.
Risk Mitigation: N4J funding has helped BIPOC farmers to purchase crop insurance or invest in risk mitigation strategies, reducing the impact of unpredictable events like weather disasters.
Infrastructure Development: N4J funding has helped BIPOC farmers build capacity in farm infrastructure, such as storage facilities and logistics, to enhance the transportation and preservation of agricultural products.

“The Initial payment from N4J enabled us to purchase the seeds for this year’s fall cover crop.”

Overall, the N4J Farmer Inclusion Program has provided BIPOC farmers with upfront funding to modernize and transform minority participation in the agricultural sector in North Carolina, making them more efficient, sustainable, and resilient to challenges.

“The money from N4J has allowed me to focus on the direct task of soil regeneration instead of worrying about where I was going to find the funds to start. Freed up mental cycles to begin the deployment process and allowed for better sleep at night."

Author

Patrick Brown

Patrick Brown has extensive and deep experience in agriculture and the U.S. government. This experience encompasses 30 years of farming and 10 years as the Owner and Operator of Brown Family Farms in Warren County, NC. He is the 4th generation to farm their land and he is training the 5th generation. In addition, Patrick worked for 16 years in the federal government, including 13 years in various management roles.
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