Cooperation Lends Hand to Minority Farmers


February 7, 1997

Greensboro, NC: Faculty members with North Carolina A&T;State University's School of Agriculture and Cooperate Extension Program are using a series of demonstrations to help small-scale farmers improve their marketing and production practices.

Under "Partners in Agriculture," a project supported by a W. K. Kellogg grant, Drs. John O'Sullivan and M. R. Reddy are working with farmers in seven North Carolina counties. O'Sullivan, a farm management and marketing specialist with NC A&T's;Cooperative Extension Program, focuses his efforts on marketing assistance, while Reddy, a professor of soil science with NC A&T's;School of Agriculture, provides educational information to farmers on their production practices.

"The demonstrations are designed to help farmers find a sustainable way to practice agriculture," said Reddy. "Using the skills they learn from the demonstrations, they will be able to improve and better manage their growing and marketing techniques, and, consequently, increase their profits."

Reddy and O'Sullivan are working with Operation Spring Plant, an organization of farmers from Granville, Person, Vance, Caswell, Halifax, Warren and Franklin counties in Eastern North Carolina.

The demonstrations also teach farmers how to grow alternative crops such as kale, collards and cabbage. "By making simple changes in their growing practices, farmers are often able to produce a crop they previously hadn't considered," said Reddy. "These alternative crops can prove profitable for a farmer with limited land and resources."

O'Sullivan works with the same farmers as Reddy, but focuses his efforts on helping them find suitable markets for their crops. "Small-scale farmers generally have very little land and limited labor. Therefore, for them to survive in agriculture, it is essential that they capitalize on what they do have," said O'Sullivan.

Part of the strategy O'Sullivan shares with the Operation Spring Plant farmers is the importance of speciality or niche markets. "It's difficult for small scale farmers to compete in the larger markets, but, if they can find a speciality market, they can design their operation around it and make a comfortable income."

The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association assists in this endeavor by helping interested Operation Spring Plant farmers become certified as organic growers. Once they receive certification, an entirely new market is open to the farmers.

Operation Spring Plant participants have also established a farmer's market at the Manson Road exit of Interstate 85 in Warren County. By working together to offer a variety of speciality produce, the farmers are able to bring in more customers and realize a larger profit than they would have in other, more traditional markets.

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For more information, contact Dr. M. R. Reddy, NC A&T;Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design, (336) 334-7779; or Dr. John O'Sullivan, NC A&T;Cooperative Extension Program, (336) 334-7956.