Cunningham is the founder of Save Black Farmers project, which aims to stop the decline in number of the nation’s black farmers and is the founder of Healthy Solutions, which promotes sustainable agriculture in underserved communities. She lives in the District.
Why are the number of black farmers declining?
It’s many factors, including the Pigford Case [in which black farmers sued the government for racial discrimination in allotting farm loans]. But even more than the Pigford accusations, the decline comes from a lack of proper education about sustaining farms. But it usually comes down to farms not profiting and if they are not profitable, their children do not want to struggle like their parents did.
How significant is the decline in black farms?
Only 1 percent of American farmers are black, and the average age is 63. We are really looking at a dwindling number that is going up in age.
What are you doing to help stop the decline?
A lot of things we do help with whole farm distribution, showing a farmer how to get their crops distributed so they can sustain their farm. We help farmers figure out who would be suitable customers based on what they are capable of doing on their farms.
How did you become interested in farming?
I was home pregnant with my second child, looking at government contracts. My sister and I fell into produce distribution. We started off with the North Carolina prison system and we were awarded a contract with the Department of Defense, school contracts and literally our organization spun out of our produce distribution center. We realized that our prisoners were eating more fresh fruits and vegetables than our children in school were, and we realized our farmers didn’t have what they needed to supply distributors like ourselves.
Are there other farmers in your family?
My grandfather was a sharecropper and he was very profitable. He was able to sustain his family of 14 off of agriculture.
— Susan Ferrechio
