Farming is deeply tied to equity issues—from the legacies of colonialism and slavery; to ongoing systemic racism, discrimination, and disenfranchisement; and struggles connected to labor rights and access to land and food.
We cultivate colonized land first stewarded by Indigenous Peoples. While 95% of farm owners are white, less than 2% of farmers are Black. The percentage of land owned by Black farmers has fallen 90% since 1910.
Most of the food eaten in the U.S. has been harvested by immigrants, who are essential to the security of our food system. An estimated 73% of farmworkers are immigrants and nearly 50% of farmworkers are undocumented, often lacking basic health and safety protections.
Our food systems equity work develops innovative ways to increase access to (and relevance of) resources for all farmers and grow connections, resilience, and justice in our local and regional communities.
"Farmers are scaling up the practice in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and beyond—and it could simultaneously help clean up the Chesapeake Bay, mitigate climate change, and save small family farms." —Lisa Held, Civil Eats
