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We can usually name the grocery stores where we shop without giving it much thought. But how many of us know the farmers actually growing our food? Finding the Black Farmers Index got me thinking about the farms we rarely hear about, the generations of land that have been lost, and how something as ordinary as choosing where we buy our food could make a difference.

Before the Next Farm Disappears: Discover the Black Farmers Index

An American Farming Legacy We Can't Afford to Lose

America has an extraordinary agricultural history, but one part of that history deserves far more attention: the dramatic decline of Black farmers.

In 1920, the U.S. Census recorded approximately 925,708 Black farm operators, representing roughly 14% of the nation's farmers. By 2022, the USDA counted just 46,738 Black agricultural producers working on 32,653 farms—approximately 1.4% of all U.S. producers.

The historical and modern census measurements aren't identical, but the long-term decline is unmistakable.

Those numbers represent more than changing agricultural demographics. Behind them are family farms, inherited land, farming knowledge, businesses, and livelihoods that have not always survived from one generation to the next.

And the story isn't simply that people stopped wanting to farm.

What Happened to Black-Owned Farmland?

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Black farming families were establishing livelihoods through land ownership, agricultural businesses, and community cooperation, often under extremely difficult circumstances.

By 1920, Black farmers operated approximately 41.4 million acres across the United States. In 2022, Black-operated farms accounted for approximately 5.3 million acres.

Although that acreage has increased somewhat since the late 1990s, it remains a fraction of the historical total.

A 2022 study published by the American Economic Association estimated that Black agricultural land ownership fell nearly 90% between 1910 and 1997. Researchers calculated the compounded economic value of historical Black land loss from 1920 to 1997 at approximately $326 billion.

How does that happen?

Part of the answer involves generations of discriminatory lending practices. Black farmers experienced barriers to obtaining agricultural credit, delayed loan approvals, and unequal treatment in federal agricultural programs.

These grievances eventually led to the landmark Pigford v. Glickman lawsuit against the USDA, which resulted in a settlement approved in 1999.

Other losses came through foreclosure, economic hardship, and heirs' property complications. When farmland passes to multiple family members without clear legal ownership, it can become difficult to secure financing, qualify for assistance, or prevent a forced property sale.

The consequences can extend well beyond a single generation.

Black Farmers Are Still Farming—But the Pressure Continues

It's important to understand that this story isn't being told as though Black farming belongs exclusively to the past.

Black farmers are growing fruits and vegetables, raising livestock, producing eggs, managing apiaries, preserving heritage crops, and operating agricultural businesses throughout the United States.

Texas actually led the nation in 2022 with 11,511 Black agricultural producers, followed by Mississippi with 6,380. 

Yet the economics remain challenging.

According to the USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture, 55% of Black-operated farms reported less than $5,000 in annual agricultural sales and government payments combined. For some, farming is one income source alongside outside employment.

Another figure deserves attention: 47% of Black producers were 65 or older.

That creates a pressing question about succession. Who will continue these farms when their current operators retire?

Land, equipment, agricultural training, affordable financing, and consistent customers can all help determine whether a new generation can make farming financially sustainable.

When Farmers Disappear, Communities Feel the Loss

In 2024, 24.4% of Black, non-Hispanic households experienced food insecurity, compared with 13.7% of American households overall, according to USDA research.

Food insecurity means households sometimes lack reliable access to enough food for an active, healthy life.

Local farms alone cannot eliminate that problem. Food prices, transportation, distribution, and household income also affect what families can purchase.

Still, connecting communities with nearby farmers can create opportunities for fresh-food access, neighborhood markets, agricultural education, and local economic development.

A farm can also supply restaurants, grocery cooperatives, schools, food businesses, and other organizations.

When a family farm closes, a community may lose far more than an agricultural business. It can lose a potential employer, a local food supplier, and a source of knowledge that took decades to develop.

Meet the Black Farmers Index: Connecting Consumers to Growers

One resource working to improve those connections is the Black Farmers Index.

Founded by Dr. Kaia Shivers, the initiative began in April 2020 as a solutions-focused journalism project through Ark Republic, during a period when pandemic-related disruptions exposed weaknesses in food distribution.

Its original directory contained approximately 150 farmers. Today, the organization reports roughly 1,300 farmers and agricultural producers in its network.

The Index goes beyond traditional crop farming. Visitors can discover ranchers, vegetable growers, fruit producers, poultry farmers, beekeepers, fisherfolk, foresters, foragers, and other agricultural entrepreneurs.

It also highlights women-owned farms, regenerative growing practices, and producers serving specialty markets.

What makes the project particularly useful is its practical purpose: connecting people who want to buy agricultural products with the people producing them.

The organization also supports farmer visibility, education, networking, and business opportunities.

How to Find and Support a Black Farmer Near You

Start with the free Black Farmers Index directory.

Visitors can select a geographic region, locate their state, and explore listed growers. Individual offerings and purchasing arrangements vary, so contacting the farmer directly is an important next step.

Supporting a farm doesn't require owning land yourself.

You might purchase seasonal vegetables instead of automatically choosing supermarket produce, buy eggs or honey directly from a producer, inquire about a farm's subscription boxes, or recommend a grower to a neighborhood restaurant.

You can also introduce an agricultural business to potential wholesale customers, share its information with friends, or encourage organizations to source products locally when practical.

For people interested in farming themselves, exploring the directory offers another benefit: the chance to discover operating farms, learn about different agricultural models, and potentially build relationships with experienced growers.

And if you know a Black farmer who isn't listed, the Index welcomes new farm registrations.

The Next Generation Needs More Than Our Appreciation

Recognizing the history of Black farmers is important. Making sure their businesses have a future requires something more practical.

They need access to land, fair financing, agricultural resources, business opportunities, and customers willing to support their work.

The Black Farmers Index makes at least one part of that easier: helping the public find the growers who are already doing the work.

Before your next grocery trip, consider taking a few minutes to explore the directory. You may discover a farmer nearby, a product worth trying, or a business you can recommend.

A century of lost farmland cannot be restored with one purchase or one shared article.

But a farm's next customer, business connection, or opportunity might begin with someone deciding to look for it.

Explore the Black Farmers Index and find a grower near you.

Explore the Farmers, Research & Resources Behind This Story

The story of Black farming in America doesn't end with the numbers. Whether you're looking to support a local grower, explore agricultural opportunities, or better understand the history of Black farmland ownership, these resources offer somewhere to begin.

• Black Farmers Index — Find a Farmer Near You
  Explore a free directory of Black farmers, ranchers, beekeepers, growers, and agricultural producers across the United States.

• Black Farmers Index — Register Your Farm
  Know a Black farmer who should be included? Visit the homepage and scroll to the farm registration section.

• About the Black Farmers Index
  Learn how the initiative began in 2020 and how it works to connect growers with customers, agricultural resources, and business opportunities.

• USDA — Black Producers: 2022 Census of Agriculture (PDF)
  Explore the official figures covering Black agricultural producers, farm acreage, age demographics, sales, and leading states.

• Black Land Loss: 1920–1997 — American Economic Association
  Read the research examining historical Black farmland loss and its estimated compounded economic impact of $326 billion.

• USDA — Household Food Security in the United States in 2024
  Review national food insecurity findings and learn how household access to adequate food is measured.

• USDA — Heirs' Property Landowners
  Understand inherited farmland ownership challenges and explore federal resources that may help families protect agricultural property.

• USDA — Beginning Farmers and Ranchers
  Interested in starting a farm? Explore agricultural business planning, financing, education, and assistance programs.

One connection can make a difference. Find a farmer, explore their products, share their business, or introduce them to someone looking for a reliable agricultural supplier.

Start with the Black Farmers Index.