Spring 2012 - Minority Landowner

Spring 2012 

MyLandPlan.org 

Helping Landowners Manage 

the Other Part of the Farm

Contents 

Volume VII Number II Spring 2012 

4 Editor’s Page 

The Guest of Honor is honored 

6 Introducing MyLandPlan.org 

Interactive website helps woodland owners protect and enjoy their land 

7 Profits from a Perpetual Easement 

Kentucky farmer found an innovative way for his land to produce income 

8 New Priorities, New Opportunities: Civil Rights 

Training at USDA 

Transforming USDA to an organization of inclusion and high performance 

11 Abraham Lincoln Heirloom Tomatoes 

Students honor Earth Day and the 150th anniversary of USDA 

12 New Faces of Outreach at USDA 

Introducing Carolyn Parker, Ronald Harris and Carl Butler 

15 Outreach Effort has International Appeal 

Ghanaian attends hands-on aquaculture forum at Virginia State University 

16 Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers CBO 

Makes History 

Organization has six regions whose members reach 64 Texas counties 

18 Involving Private Landowners in Reforesting the 

Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley 

Technique involves interplanting cottonwoods with other hardwoods 

21 Minority Landowner’s 6 th Anniversary 

Wills for Farmers Clinic is a highlight of the anniversary conference 

22 Perspectives 

Happy Anniversary USDA 

Cover photo by Michael Gajda 

Cierra Publishing ComPany 

Victor L. Harris 

President 

Cierra N. Harris 

Executive Assistant 

minority landowner magazine 


Publisher and Editor 

graPhiC designer 

French Harris Design Group 

advisory board 

Jerry Pennick 

Arthur Phalo 

Minority Landowner Magazine 

is published quarterly by Cierra 

Publishing Company. Address all 

inquires to: 

Cierra Publishing Company 

P.O. Box 97033 

Raleigh, North Carolina 27624 

Phone: 919.215.1632 

Email: ccpublishing@earthlink.net 

www.minoritylandowner.com 

Editorials, news releases, photographs and artwork are welcomed. Material received becomes the property of Cierra Publishing Company. 

Cierra Publishing Company reserves the right to edit all manuscripts and letters for the sake of clarity, style and space limitations. All opinions 

expressed in Minority Landowner Magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or the 

Advisory Board. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Copyright 2012. 

Spring 2012 www.minoritylandowner.com 3

Editor’s Page 


Registered Forester 

I 

don’t get so many speaking invitations 

that I need a personal 

assistant just to keep my calendar. 

But on occasion, I am invited 

to speak at various events across the 

country. And when I do, I consider 

it an honor. 

Recently, my travels took me to 

Missouri, Virginia and Mississippi to 

speak to farmers and landowners in 

those states. 

Minority Landowner is proud to 

have been a sponsor of the Missouri 

Minority Farmers and Landowners Conference in late February. 

Minority Landowner planted the idea of a conference with leaders 

of Missouri’s agriculture community over a year ago, and they 

took the ball and ran with it. It had been many years since a 

minority farmers’ conference was held, and several key leaders 

including Sanjun Gu, Drenda Williams, Kamalendu Paul, and 

Julius Moody formed a team to plan and organize the conference. 

Jerry Pennick of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land 

Assistance Fund was the opening keynote speaker, and I served as 

the banquet speaker. 

It didn’t take long to realize that Missouri farmers were hungry 

for the information, networking and relationships they found 

at the conference. That’s evident by the two farmer cooperatives 

that are being formed as a result of farmers’ initiatives during the 

conference. Congratulations to Lincoln University Cooperative 

Extension, other Missouri agricultural leaders, and to Missouri 

farmers and landowners on your successful conference. 

My next stop was Virginia, where I was invited to speak at 

Virginia State University’s Minority Farmers and Landowners 

Conference. The School of Agriculture and the Cooperative Extension 

Program at Virginia State University are prolific in offering 

workshops, field demonstrations and seminars to Virginia 

farmers. They wanted to do even more to reach minority farmers, 

and they did. The turnout, the program and the response 

from farmers were all outstanding. Congratulations to Dr. Jewel 

E. Hairston, Dean of the School of Agriculture and to your conference 

planning team for delivering such an important and pro- 

4 www.minoritylandowner.com Spring 2012 

ductive conference. 

The Alcorn State University Extension Program and the Mississippi 

Association of Cooperatives hosted the 21 st Annual Small 

Farmers Conference. As part of the event they announced the 

2012 Farmer of the Year, 2012 Woman in Business of the Year, and 

2012 Cooperative of the Year. This year they began a new Special 

Recognition Award, and Minority Landowner Magazine is proud 

to be the first honoree, in recognition of our work supporting 

minority farmers and ranchers across the country. 

Extension Administrator Dr. Dalton McAfee, and Myra Bryant, 

executive director of the Mississippi Association of Cooperatives 

and their team did a great job of planning and hosting a 

conference that had nearly 400 attendees. 

Continuous learning opportunities as provided by universities, 

agencies and community based organizations are critical to the 

success and longevity of minority farmers. Sometimes it’s hard to 

get out of the field to attend these events; but it’s important that 

you do to stay abreast of your industry’s trends and opportunities. 

I trust you’ll enjoy this issue of Minority Landowner. We cover 

an array of topics including conservation easements, hardwood 

forest research, forest management planning, and civil rights 

training at USDA. 

Thank you Michael Gajda for use of your photo for our cover. 

The photo was an entry in the STIHL photo contest. 

And look for our upcoming 4th Annual Farmers of the Year 

issue where we recognize farmers, ranchers and forest landowners 

across the country for their outstanding work representing agriculture 

in their communities. 

We take pride in the work we do. And though we don’t do it 

for recognition, we’re appreciative, and it helps us to know we’re 

on the right track. The Alcorn State University recognition was 

truly unexpected and heartfelt. It is an honor to be honored. 

All the best, 


ccpublishing@earthlink.net


Introducing MyLandPlan.org 

New Website for Woodland Owners, by Woodland Owners 

By Amanda Cooke 

American Forest Foundation 

Through an easy-to-use, fun, and 

interactive website, the American 

Forest Foundation (AFF) is working 

to help woodland owners protect and 

enjoy their land. 

MyLandPlan.org was launched this 

May with the goal of providing landowners 

with relevant and useable information 

about woodland management in one 

single location. Forty percent of America’s 

farms include woodlands, and MyLand- 

Plan.org was developed with “the other 

part” of the farm in mind. Healthy farm 

forests can improve soil retention, water 

quality, and provide habitat for wildlife and 

additional income. 

People own woodlands for a lot of different reasons, so AFF’s 

MyLandPlan.org was designed to address the interests of a very 

diverse group of people. 

“That’s why the very first question we ask visitors is: ‘What do 

you want to do with your land?’” said Caroline Kuebler, Outreach 

Manager for AFF. 

The website is geared toward woodland owners of all stripes: 

from wildlife lovers and legacy owners who inherited land, to 

families planning for a timber harvest and landowners enrolled 

in cost-share programs like those in the Farm Bill. 

The AFF Tool 

The American Forest Foundation’s unique planning tool was 

designed to help woodland owners create a map of their land and 

record features such as streams and trails. Through the exclusive 

tool for members, landowners can prioritize goals for their land, 

and track progress as they take action. The tool provides customized 

information and connects members to professionals and 

organizations that can help users tackle their “to do” list. 

“Do you want more songbirds? We can help. Do you want 

to attract more wild game for hunting? We can help. Is there 

something special you want to protect on your property? We can 

give you some ideas of how to do that. Do you want to assure 

that your property can be kept in your family? We can show you 

how to make it happen. Do you want the advice of a professional 

forester? We have that too,” said Kuebler. 


MyLandPlan has many sections of 

content available to users which include: 

Make It Healthy 

Trees help stabilize soil and protect 

it from erosion, and they cycle nutrients 

back into the soil to keep it fertile 

and healthy. This section will help 

landowners determine the age of their 

forest, find the most effective and targeted 

chemical for a specific pest, and implement 

an integrated pest management plan. 

Profit From It 

This section introduces landowners 

to opportunities for generating income 

from their woods without compromising 

the land’s recreational value and health. 

MyLandPlan can help woodland owners 

connect with a professional forester, certify their sustainable timber, 

plan a timber harvest, and determine whether the land is a 

good candidate for a hunting lease. 

Photo courtesy iStock 

Enjoy It 

This section has information to help you enjoy your woods 

to the fullest while staying safe and being a responsible steward. 

In this section, you will find information about how to care for 

ponds and streams, learn about forestry best management practices, 

and how to establish your family’s connection with the land. 

Protect It 

Proactive care can go a long way in protecting the woods you 

love. Learn about how to monitor your land for invasive pest outbreaks, 

discourage trespassing, recover from a natural disaster, and 

choose the right type of insurance. 

Pass It On 

An important part of caring for and preserving woods is planning 

for the future. MyLandPlan is designed to help landowners 

find the right estate planner, enter into a conservation agreement 

if that’s desired, and craft a plan that’s right for your family and 

for your peace of mind. 

MyLandPlan.org can help woodland owners protect the land 

they love now, and for the future. Sign up today at www.mylanplan.org 

or call the American Forest Foundation at (202) 463-2731.

Profits from a Perpetual Easement 

By Dr. Jerome Faulkner 

Resource Conservationist Planner 

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 

Kentucky 

Alfred Couch 

Wetlands Reserve Program 

Following closing for the purchase of a perpetual Wetlands 

Reserve Program (WRP) easement, Alfred Couch deposited 

a nice check in the bank. Years ago he purchased his 

small farm in Hopkins County, Kentucky after searching for 

houses within commuting distance of his work in Evansville, Indiana 

at the Alcoa aluminum smelting and fabricating facility. He 

needed a place that was close to work but affordable. The farm 

that he found was perfect. The land included with the house was 

an extra bonus for the Couches and he always considered it as a 

way to make an extra dollar towards the home purchase. 

The 20 acre cattle farm was in disrepair. The grass was high 

and was only mowed once a year. The pond was overgrown 

and fences were down. He had the fields mowed and removed 

all the random pieces of fence throughout the fields. To keep 

money coming, he leased out the land for hay production. The 

soil was not productive and needed fertilizer and lime to maintain 

hay production. Much of his land was too wet for good hay 

production. 

Couch continued looking for innovative ways for the land to 

produce income. He participates in the Kentucky Department of 

Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) Dove Field Lease Program. 

He plants the fields to manage specifically for dove hunting 

and then leases them to KDFWR for public hunting. This 

program encouraged Couch to become interested in other opportunities 

to increase revenues from his property. 

The Cooperative Extension Service referred him to USDA to 

obtain a farm number. After registering his farm with the Farm 

Service Agency, he started to receive newsletters related to different 

programs that were available. In one of those mailings he heard 

about the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and its benefits for 

wildlife. Couch had heard of other easement programs that were 

related to wetland restoration and knew this was a good way to 

make money while enhancing the wildlife benefits. He went to 

the local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office 

and learned more about WRP and signed up for the program. 

Couch applied for WRP and was visited by a NRCS biologist 

who examined the property and gave it a ranking score for the 

program. NRCS ranks eligible projects according to environmental 

benefits for future habitat diversity, benefits to animals, restoration 

of hydrology, the ability of the project to reduce habitat 

fragmentation, size of the offering, and improved water quality. 

Then a long wait occurred because of the high demand for the 

program. WRP has a continuous application process so once you 

apply you do not have to reapply every year for the program. 

Funding was available in 2010 and Couch signed an Agreement 

to Purchase a Conservation Easement. The land was surveyed 

and after all the title work and environmental due diligence 

was completed, the closing date was set in October 2011. 

Now that the easement closed, wetland restoration is underway. 

Restoration includes building a shallow water area and planting 

native bottomland hardwood trees. Couch wants to construct 

his shallow water area and plant the trees on the property himself. 

In a permanent easement option for WRP the restoration is 

100% funded by NRCS. Therefore, he sees the restoration as an 

opportunity to be compensated for doing work on his own land. 

This is a win-win situation for NRCS and the landowner because 

both parties are intimately connected to the success of the restoration 

work. 


The Training Division was established as part of the Office 

of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR) 

in October 2009. It is charged with implementing new 

training strategies and collaborating and coordinating with all 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organizations to deliver 

a streamlined, cohesive and substantive civil rights training 

program. 

In order to fulfill its mission to serve the Nation’s people, 

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has stated that if USDA is to move 

beyond its conflict-ridden civil rights history, it will require a 

transformation from a culture of inequity and discrimination 

to an organization of inclusion and high performance. An important 

dimension of this approach involves strengthening and 

improving civil rights training throughout the Department. Effective 

civil rights training, 

among other things, is critical 

to decreasing the number 

of employment and program 

complaints, improving program 

delivery and workforce 

diversity, and creating a community 

of cooperation, collaboration, 

and excellence. 

Civil rights training supports 

the Department’s goal 

of becoming an inclusive and 

high-performing organization 

in the eyes of our constituents and employees. The Department 

seeks to create a greater sense of teamwork by promoting the 

view that learning together leads to growing together. Consequently, 

the Department aims to build an atmosphere of equity 

and sensitivity, while providing service to employees and constituents 

in a manner that is respectful and beneficial. And in so 

doing, USDA helps strengthen the Nation’s efforts to become a 

more inclusive society. 


ADVERTORIAL 

New Priorities, 

New Opportunities: 

Civil Rights Training at USDA 

"Civil rights training supports the 

Department's goal of becoming 

an inclusive and high performing 

organization" 

OASCR’s Training Division pursues effective ways to partner 

with other USDA civil rights staffs to leverage the Department’s 

resources, assisting with and augment training as needed. This 

partnership and collaboration will evolve over time; however, 

during the transformation, constituents can expect an increased 

awareness and environment of employee commitment to customer 

service and personal responsibility and accountability. 

Employees in the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) were 

the first to benefit from civil rights training led by the Training 

Division. The training topics, determined in concert with the 

Agency’s senior management to address specific agency needs, 

focused on equal employment opportunity in the workplace, 

disabilities, harassment, retaliation, reasonable accommodation, 

and customer service. The training was mandatory for approximately 

180 FSA executives, 

managers, and supervisors, 

and the intended results fo- 

cused on fair, equitable, and 

transparent delivery of programs 

and services. 

Plans are underway to 

conduct training for USDA’s 

National Institute of Food 

and Agriculture, National 

Agricultural Statistics Service, 

National Finance Center, and 

Grain Inspection, Packers 

and Stockers Administration. Employees from headquarters and 

the field, including union members, will be trained. 

Other notable activities include ensuring that all USDA staff 

and contractors complete the federally mandated Notification 

and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act 

(No FEAR Act) training. The No FEAR Act training is vitally 

important because it is intended to reduce the number of employment 

complaints, and the training makes Federal agencies

accountable for violations of antidiscrimination and whistleblower 

protection laws. More specifically, the training complements 

and substantiates longstanding obligations to provide a 

work environment free of discrimination and retaliation. 

Through civil rights training, it is also expected that USDA 

employees will become sensitive to customers with limited 

English proficiency. It may not be possible for employees to 

speak every language or to produce Departmental literature 

in every language for its constituents. However, if employees 

consistently demonstrate efforts to provide customers with 

language assistance, and to avoid complications that can arise 

in translation and intonation, sensitivity to our constituents 

will be reflected. 

Civil Rights training will remain at the forefront as USDA 

continues to move far away from its conflict-ridden civil rights 

history. The Training Division will continue to partner and collaborate 

throughout USDA to train employees and help transform 

USDA into an organization of accountability, inclusion, 

and high performance. 

Further information regarding civil rights training at USDA 

is available by contacting the Office of the Assistant Secretary 

for Civil Rights, Training Division at (202) 720-1772. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex (including gender identity and expression), marital status, familial status, parental 

status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived 

from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means 

for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720- 

2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 

(English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an 

equal opportunity provider and employer.-May 2012. 


10 www.minoritylandowner.com Spring 2012

Abraham Lincoln Heirloom Tomatoes 

Students Honor Earth Day and the 150th Anniversary of USDA 

J.A. Fair High School Principal Jeremy 

Owoh (left), State Conservationist Mike 

Sullivan (center) and Fair High students 

listen as environmental science program 

teacher Dennis Troutman (2nd from left) 

speaks during an Earth Day program and 

People’s Garden dedication. 

By Arkansas NRCS 

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State 

Conservationist Mike Sullivan toured J.A. Fair High 

School’s Environmental Science Program on April 27 

and gave a presentation to students during an Earth Day program 

at the school. This year, in addition to Earth Day, the presentation 

also honored the 150th anniversary of the founding of the United 

States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA on May 15, 

1862, referring to it as “The People’s Department.” During the 

program, students planted “Abraham Lincoln” heirloom tomato 

seedlings in a raised garden bed in their newly designated “People’s 

Garden.” Fair recently became one of approximately 100 schools 

in the nation to join the USDA’s People’s Garden program. 

“This program is an outstanding opportunity for students to 

gain a better understanding of how food is grown and produced,” 

Sullivan said. “It’s an opportunity to raise awareness about sustainable 

agriculture practices, connecting students with where their 

food comes from, and educating them on protecting our environment 

and conserving our natural resources. It will also help them 

understand that agriculture is a unique, exciting, and challenging 

career path.” 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack launched the People’s Gar- 

den initiative in February 2009 on the 200th anniversary of the 

birth of President Lincoln. The initiative aims to engage all USDA 

employees to create gardens that benefit their communities and 

highlight sustainable practices that protect the environment. To 

meet this goal, employees are partnering with hundreds of organizations 

to create a People’s Garden at their USDA office or in their 

local communities. 

“In addition to a two acre garden, our Environmental Science 

Program includes a pond, 1.2 mile nature trail, 40’ x 60’ greenhouse, 

3000 square foot flower bed and a creek that runs through 

the campus,” said Dennis Troutman, lead environmental science 

teacher. “All these areas are a part of our outdoor classroom experience 

for our students. We’re honored that NRCS came here 

today and we’re honored to participate in this program.” 

Today, over 1,200 People’s Gardens across the country are demonstrating 

how connections are made between providing access to 

nutritious food, while protecting the landscape where that food 

is grown, serving communities and helping those in need. These 

gardens provide educational opportunities for children and adults 

about nutrition and sustainability as well as introduce younger 

generations to agriculture and fresh foods. 

More information about The People’s Garden initiative can be 

found at www.usda.gov/peoplesgarden or contact Reginald Jackson, 

state public affairs specialist with Arkansas NRCS at (501) 

301-3133. 


New Faces of Outreach at USDA 

Introducing Carolyn Parker, Ronald Harris and Carl Butler 

Editor’s note: Minority Landowner introduces you to some 

very important new faces of outreach within the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture. Carolyn Parker, of the USDA Office of 

Advocacy and Outreach, Ronald Harris of USDA Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, and Carl Butler of USDA Farm 

Service Agency, have recently taken the helm to lead advocacy 

and outreach efforts within their agencies. We asked each of them 

to share information about themselves and about their agencies. 

Carolyn C. Parker 

Name of Agency 

Office of Advocacy and 

Outreach 

Your previous position(s) 

Carolyn Parker has been 

a leader at USDA in many 

capacities. She started her 32 

years of service working as 

an assistant county supervisor 

and later performed as a 

county supervisor with the 

Farmers Home Administration 

in rural New Jersey 

where she administered 

Single Family Housing and 

Farm Programs. She has 

worked in the Community 

Facilities Loan Program and served as the director of the Business 

and Industry Program for more than 15 years. Prior to joining the 

Office of Advocacy and Outreach she served as the assistant deputy 

administrator for Business Programs in Rural Development. 

Your and your Agency’s message or statement regarding outreach 

Through coordination and collaboration, the Office of Advocacy 

and Outreach works across USDA to enhance access to 

services for the communities we serve. 

Your goals for outreach for your agency 

• Improving the viability and profitability of small and beginning 

farmers and ranchers 

• Improving access to USDA programs for historically underserved 

communities 

• Improving agricultural opportunities for farm workers 

• Closing the professional achievement gap by providing op- 


portunities to talented and diverse young people to support 

the agricultural industry in the 21st century 

How can a farmer contact you or your Agency? 

USDA Office of Advocacy and Outreach 

1400 Independence Ave SW 

Washington, DC 20250- 9821 

Main (Toll Free): 800-880-4183 

Main: (202) 720-6350 

Fax: (202) 720-7136 

e-mail: AdvocacyandOutreach@osec.usda.gov 

website: www.outreach.usda.gov 

Ronald A. Harris 

Name of Agency and 

Agency’s general mission 

USDA Natural Resources 

Conservation Service. Helping 

people help the land. 

NRCS improves the health 

of our Nation’s resources 

while sustaining and enhancing 

the productivity of 

American agriculture. We 

achieve this by providing 

voluntary assistance 

through strong partnerships 

with private landowners, 

managers and communities, 

to protect, restore and 

enhance the lands and waters upon which people and the environment 

depend. 


I have worked at every level of the organization. I have held the 

following positions: 

• Soil Conservationist 

• District Conservationist 

• Area Resource Conservationist 

• Area Conservationist 

• Assistant State Conservationist 

• Natural Resource Specialist 

• Deputy State Conservationist 

• National Grazing Lands Coordinator 

• Branch Chief for Initiative Programs

Your and your Agency’s message or statement regarding 

outreach 

Our goal is to ensure that all of our programs and services are 

made accessible to all NRCS customers, fairly, equitably, with emphasis 

on reaching the underserved and socially disadvantaged 

farmers and ranchers. 


My personal goal is to ensure that we as an agency are doing 

the the right things, the right way. I want all groups to consider 

NRCS as their friend. 

Thoughts to share with minority farmers, ranchers and forest 

landowners 

USDA has many programs and services available to assist you 

in addressing your natural resource needs. I encourage each of 

you to contact your local USDA Service Center and request assistance. 

Chances are we can help you in some way. If not, we 

should be able to help you find assistance through other sources. 


I can be contacted personally at (703) 235-8084 or at ronald. 

harris@wdc.usda.gov. The agency website is www.nrcs.usda.gov. 

Carl T. Butler 

Name of Agency and 

Agency’s general mission 

Farm Service Agency: 

The mission of Farm Service 

Agency (FSA) is to 

equitably serve all farmers, 

ranchers and agricultural 

partners through the delivery 

of effective, efficient 

agricultural programs for 

all Americans. 


• Director: Early Resolution 

and Conciliation 

Division, USDA-Office of the Assistant Secretary for 

Civil Rights 

• Director: USDA/1890 Program Initiative 

• Program Manager: USDA/1890 National Scholars Program 

• Program Manager: USDA/1890 Agricultural Liaison Officer 

Program 

• Executive Officer of Operations: National Society for 

Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related 

Sciences (MANRRS) 

• USDA/1890 Agricultural Liaison Officer: Southern University 

& West Virginia State University 

• Area Director: USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service, 

Cotton Programs 

Your and your Agency’s message or statement regarding outreach 

FSA Outreach coordinates and implements agency-wide outreach 

activities to people, especially the underserved, who can 

benefit from the agency’s programs and services. 


The goal of FSA Outreach is to increase the participation of underserved 

customers in U.S. Department of Agriculture programs, 

with special emphasis on those who are socially and economically 

disadvantaged, limited resource farmers, and members of racial and 

ethnic minority groups such as African-Americans, American Indians/Native 

Americans and Alaska Natives, Asian and Pacific Islanders, 

Hispanics, women and the disabled. 

Many of our farmers and ranchers have experienced barriers 

that hinder them from becoming a successful farmer or rancher. 

Some of these barriers are communication/language difficulty, loan 

qualifications, education on the different types of credit programs, 

or access to credit, marketing, etc. Other barriers may include lack 

of information regarding what programs may be available, access to 

FSA Service Centers, or distrust of government officials. To overcome 

these barriers, FSA is committed to carrying out an effective 

Outreach program. Our commitment is ensuring that: 

• Resources such as funding, manpower, and training materials 

are provided to the communities we serve 

• Partnerships with members of the underserved and minority 

groups, community based organizations, community 

leaders, congressional leaders, educational institutions, and 

other federal agencies are encouraged and supported 

• Representation from the targeted groups in FSA County 

Committee nominations and elections is achieved 

Thoughts to share with minority farmers, ranchers and forest 

landowners 

We exist because of our producers and are excited about new 

initiatives on crop reporting and microloans to better serve all, 

especially socially disadvantaged producers and beginning farmers. 

We are improving communications through the use of social 

media and other electronic methods. These initiatives, along with 

a number of other activities, are geared toward improving participation 

and making our programs and services more accessible. In 

Fiscal Year 2011 alone, FSA has invested $1.3 billion in financial 

assistance through farm loans and farm programs. 


Please contact us at: 

USDA/FSA 

Outreach Office 

1400 Independence Ave., SW 

Room 3092-S, Stop 0539 

Washington, DC 20250-0539 

(202) 690-1098 

www.fsa.usda.gov/outreach 


14 www.minoritylandowner.com Spring 2012

Outreach Effort has International Appeal 

At Virginia State University’s School 

of Agriculture 

Ed Awah (left) and Dr. David Crosby, VSU fish health specialist, inspect one of several 4 feet by 4 feet round cages built by workshop participants. 

Besides cage design, participants also learned about producing, marketing, harvesting and processing fish. 

On a singular mission, Chicago resident Ed Awah recently 

took a brief hiatus from his biology studies at 

Ashford University in Iowa, headed home to Chicago, 

and then booked a flight to Virginia State University (VSU). 

Awah admitted that he’d been searching futilely on-line for 

workshops he could attend to learn how to build cages and raise 

fish in them. To his utter delight, he said, VSU’s two-day Cage 

Building Workshop was the only hit to pop up. 

A native of Ghana, a country in West Africa, Awah joined approximately 

65 other current and aspiring small-scale fish farmers 

from various counties in Virginia for the April 11-12 hands-on 

aquaculture forum. He said his family plans to raise tilapia in 

cages year-round on their property that sits on a lake in Ghana. 

In Ghana, tilapia are in high demand and are considered an excellent 

protein source, said Awah. The family will sell its cage-raised 

product wholesale to local fish markets and restaurants, he added. 

Currently, the business has one cage which was purchased for 

$500, Awah said. However, more cages will be constructed this 

summer utilizing techniques learned at the workshop, he vowed. 

Awah said he anticipates gradually building the operation to 20 

cages. 

“VSU’s Cage Building Workshop has been quite informative 

and helpful,” Awah said. “I’ve learned how to build cages myself 

which will save the family business tremendously in operating 

costs. I’m also now acutely alert to identifying, preventing and 

controlling diseases that might diminish profitability, or worse 

yet, completely wipe out our investment.” 

For more information on VSU’s Cage Building Workshop 

contact Dr. David Crosby, VSU fish health specialist at (804) 524- 

5620 or email dcrosby@vsu.edu. 

Winter 2012 www.minoritylandowner.com 15 

Photo by Virginia State University

Texas Small Farmers and 

Ranchers CBO Makes History 

By Beverly Moseley 

NRCS Public Affairs Specialist 

A 

vision of having a state headquarters’ office and training 

center has become a reality for the Texas Small 

Farmers and Ranchers Community Based Organization 

(TSFR/CBO). 

Recognizing the organization’s unprecedented growth and 

commitment to outreach and education, the Navasota George 

Washington Carver Alumni Association, through a joint partnership 

agreement, has donated two wings of the Carver Community 

Center to the group. The inaugural meeting was held recently 

in Navasota. 

“This will enable us to more readily help producers in a training 

environment, as well as hands-on, because there is acreage 

available for us to simulate activities such as planting forages, 

gardening, along with providing equipment repair areas, maintenance 

and training labs and areas to bring in small animals,” said 

Wade Ross, state coordinator of the TSFR/CBO. 

Founded in 1998, the organization is dedicated to assisting 

limited resource agricultural producers with information and participation 

in the services and programs offered by organizations 

and agencies, including the USDA Natural Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS). 


Callie Day, director of the Carver Community Center, provides the 

opening welcome remarks, along with an overview and history of 

the campus. 

A chapter in history 

The Carver Community Center comprises what was once the 

George Washington Carver High School campus which closed its 

doors in 1968. The original campus dates back to 1865. In 2008, the 

alumni association approached the Navasota Independent School 

District about utilizing the property for community and civic 

activities. Their efforts paid off when the school district officially 

gave the alumni association the property through a gift deed. 

“Our goal is to make this historical site a symbol of pride and 

success. Your being here only enhances the mission of serving 

others,” said Callie Day, director of the Carver Community Cen- 

The vision of having a first-ever state headquarters office and training center has become a reality for the Texas Small Farmers and Ranchers 

Community Based Organization. Members and visitors attended the organization’s inaugural meeting April 3 at the Carver Community Center in 

Navasota.

Education carried the evening meeting with several presentations. Willie Holmon, soil conservationist with the USDA-Natural Resources 

Conservation Service in Bryan, gave a soil survey map review presentation. 

ter, to the more than 30 meeting attendees. 

Day provided the opening welcome remarks, along with an 

overview and history of the campus. 

Education carried the evening meeting with presentations on 

soils and livestock production. Willie Holmon, soil conservationist 

with the NRCS in Bryan, gave a soil survey map review to 

attendees. 

Unprecedented growth 

The TSFR organization has six regions whose members reach 

64 Texas counties through its meetings, workshops and field days. 

Last year, more than 50 workshops were held. 

“The biggest thing is we expanded from the initial 48 counties 

to 64 counties where we hold monthly meetings to discuss the 

needs of farmers and ranchers,” Ross said, adding that attendance 

did rise due to the strain of 2011’s historic drought. 

The organization’s outreach efforts have grown so much that 

a new region was added to the CBO. This new region is McLennan 

County, which includes Waco and surrounding areas. The 

organization’s outreach area was previously focused in Central 

and East Texas. 

Working partnerships 

Some of the organization’s recent growth is a result of their 

work through a USDA outreach grant. The TSFR and the 

Texas/Mexico Border Coalition CBO are the primary organizations 

tasked through a USDA three-year grant with coordinating 

outreach efforts and training, along with providing technical 

assistance to socially-disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. 

The University of Texas Pan American is the lead institution in 

this advocacy and outreach program. 

Ross works closely with staff from the NRCS on communication 

efforts and in providing speakers for workshops and field 

days who provide information on conservation planning, techni- 

TSFR members and visitors can find plenty of information on the 

NRCS’ available technical and financial assistance at the new state 

headquarters. 

cal assistance and Farm Bill programs. 

Along with NRCS, other federal entities involved in the project 

are the USDA-Farm Service Agency and the USDA-Rural Development 

and the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Partnering 

state entities are the Texas Soil and Water Conservation 

District Board, Texas Agri-Life Extension and Texas Department 

of Agriculture. Local Resource and Conservation Development 

Councils and Soil and Water Conservation Districts are cooperative 

partners. 

For more information on scheduled workshops or field days 

contact Wade Ross at (979) 589-3649 or visit www.texassmallfarmersandrancherscbo.com. 

More information on the NRCS, 

its partners and activities can be found at www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov, 

http://twitter.com/NRCSTexas or www.facebook.com/USDA- 

NRCSTexas. 


Photo by GreenTrees. 

Involving Private Landowners in 

Reforesting the Lower Mississippi 

Alluvial Valley 

By Claire Payne 

Information Specialist 

USDA Forest Service 

Southern Research Station 

Aerial view of Green- 

Trees interplantings 

The Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partners 

with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS), Mississippi State University, and others 

to reforest previously forested land that was cleared and converted 

to marginally productive farm land in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial 

Valley (LMAV). 

The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley represents the historic 

floodplain and valley of the lower Mississippi River. The term alluvial 

valley means “the floor of the valley where water availability 

is sufficient for subirrigation (a method of irrigation where water 

is delivered to the plant root zone from below the soil surface) or 

flood irrigation agricultural activities, but does not include upland 

areas.” 

The Southern Research Station’s (SRS) Center for Bottomland 

Hardwoods Research (CBHR) located in Stoneville, Mississippi, 

developed the technique of interplanting cottonwoods 

with other hardwoods such as Nuttall oak. The method quickly 

creates a forest environment in which slower growing hardwoods 


can develop straighter, less branchy stems 

while sheltered by fast growing cottonwoods. 

Ted Leininger, CBHR project leader, 

provides some background on how the 

research jumped into application to provide 

economic and conservation benefits 

for private landowners and corporations. 

“About 2005, leaders of Wildlife Mississippi, 

a Stoneville nongovernmental organization, 

became interested in the interplanting 

concept because of the rapid 

capture of the site by the cottonwoods 

and the great potential for carbon sequestration 

(storage of carbon) that the rapid 

growth offered,” he says. “Wildlife Mississippi 

in turn knew people at Green- 

Trees®, and a meeting was set up here 

in Stoneville so that SRS research forester Emile Gardiner and 

I could show them our study and explain the silvicultural and 

economic advantages behind it.” 

GreenTrees is a privately managed forest restoration and carbon 

sequestration program created for landowners within the seven 

states of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (Louisiana, Mississippi, 

Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois). 

GreenTrees was created and is managed by C2I, LLC of Virginia. 

Leininger explains that within the next year or two, Green- 

Trees adopted the interplanting method for their afforestation 

efforts in the mid-South and began asking him and Gardiner 

about modifying the method to include twice as many hardwoods 

per acre. The original design called for 302 cottonwoods 

and 151 hardwoods per acre. GreenTrees now plants 302 cottonwoods 

and 302 hardwoods per acre; conservation objectives determine 

the mixture of hardwood species planted. 

GreenTrees seeks to restore open and marginal farmland in the 

LMAV, the nation’s largest watershed, to hardwood forest ecosystems 

capable of sustainably sequestering large amounts of carbon 

dioxide, providing habitat for wildlife and birds–and benefiting 

landowners economically by leasing their land to GreenTrees, and 

from timber harvests. GreenTrees leases private lands for planting 

millions of trees in the LMAV, including parts of Arkansas, 

Louisiana, and Mississippi. Page Gravely, GreenTrees’ senior di-

Photo by GreenTrees. 

rector, says, “The 302-302 interplanting regimen not only accelerates 

carbon sequestration and benefits wildlife populations and 

habitat development, it also enhances water retention, and buffer 

impacts.” 

Maturing Nutall oaks in GreenTrees stand 

“GreenTrees has restructured the lease agreements they now 

offer to landowners,” says Gardiner. “It’s changed from a 70-year 

lease to a 15-year lease. The redesigned, shorter term lease is more 

aligned with the 15-year lease landowners typically enter into 

through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Conservation 

Reserve Program (CRP).” The CRP helps agricultural producers 

use environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits. 

Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving 

covers, including trees, to control soil erosion, improve water and 

air quality, and develop wildlife habitat. In return, the FSA provides 

participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. 

NRCS provides technical assistance. 

GreenTrees also offers lease agreements to landowners enrolled 

in the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Wetlands 

Reserve Program. The USDA Farm Bill offers both of these voluntary 

programs to provide conservation and economic benefits 

to landowners. 

Two corporations, Duke Energy, one of the largest utility companies 

in the South, and Norfolk Southern, a Class 1 railroad shipping 

and transportation company, partner with GreenTrees in a 

reforestation program designed to offset carbon dioxide. Green- 

Trees consultants work with landowners to deliver conservation 

on the ground while increasing their income. GreenTrees offers a 

means of producing capital for landowners for long-term, sustainable 

conservation through the restoration of high quality bottomland 

hardwoods. “GreenTrees and landowners have demonstrated 

in the field on 40 different sites that planting the right trees in 

the right soils at the right pH levels leads to success: three-yearold 

sites have 7-foot hardwoods and 20-foot cottonwoods,” says 

GreenTrees’ Gravely. “Building on CBHR research, GreenTrees 

adds a layer of forest management for private landowners, accelerating 

conservation benefits, while charging a management fee 

to corporations dedicated to sustainable environmental policies.” 


Photo by WJ Howard 

Minority Landowner's 6th Anniversary 

Minority Landowner Magazine held its 6th 

Anniversary Conference February 23-25 

in Raleigh, North Carolina. The conference 

introduced the North Carolina Farm Turnaround 

Team. 

The Farm Turnaround Team is a coalition of state 

and federal agencies, non profit organizations, universities, 

and private individuals with expertise in financial 

management, technical assistance, marketing and succession 

planning. The Team will meet at the kitchen 

table with family farm enterprises to help identify and 

correct deficiencies and inefficiencies in their land 

management operation, and provide short term and 

long term strategies for turning things around. The 

official rollout of the Farm Turnaround Team is June 

1, 2012, and they’ll be in the field later this summer 

working with farmers and landowners. 

Members of the North Carolina Farm Turnaround 

Team in the Financial Management component are Phillip Farland, 

James Davis III, Debbie Houston, and Mike Huskey of the 

USDA Farm Service Agency; private accountant Kathy Lagana; 

and Ron Brown of USDA Risk Management Agency. 

Representing the Technical Assistance component are Drenda 

Williams and Leander Brown of The National Organization of 

Professional Black NRCS Employees; J.B. Martin of USDA Natural 

Resources Conservation Service; Alton Perry of the North 

Carolina Forest Service; and Dr. M. Ray McKinnie and Dr. Michelle 

Ely of North Carolina A&T State University. 

The Marketing component is comprised of Archie Hart, Cliff 

Robyn Hicks, a law student in North Carolina Central University’s 

School of Law, moderated the session on Succession Planning. 

The Wills for Farmers Clinic served 57 farm families. 

Sutton and James Dunn from the NC Department of Agriculture 

and Consumer Services; Barbara Beard-Hinton of USDA Rural 

Development; Billy Cox, Kimberly Duncan, and Bobby Wellons 

from USDA Agricultural Marketing Service; and Teresa Jackson 

from the US Forest Service Southern Research Station-Asheville, 

North Carolina. 

The Succession Planning component members are Margaret 

Newbold, Melanie Allen and Rusty Painter of the Conservation 

Trust for North Carolina; Page Potter and Robyn Hicks of the 

North Carolina Central University School of Law; and Dr. John 

Greene of the US Forest Service Southern Research Station-Research 

Triangle Park, North Carolina. 

Minority Landowner Magazine is the central contact and coordinator. 

Another highlight of the conference was the Wills for Farmers 

Clinic which was organized and led by the Succession Planning 

component of the Farm Turnaround Team. Attorneys who specialize 

in wills and estate planning volunteered their time to provide 

information to farmers on the importance of succession planning. 

As part of the program, 57 farm families took advantage of the 

opportunity to sit down with an attorney and privately discuss 

their situation as it relates to wills, estate planning and succession 

planning. The conference was a tremendous success. 

Minority Landowner’s 7th Anniversary Conference will be 

held February 20-22, 2013 at the Marriott Greensboro Airport in 

Greensboro, North Carolina. The conference will include a tour 

of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. 

For 2013 conference registration, exhibitor and sponsor information 

call (919) 215-1632, email ccpublishing@earthlink.net or 

visit www.minoritylandowner.com. 

Spring 2012 www.minoritylandowner.com 21 

Photo by WJ Howard

Perspectives 

Happy Anniversary USDA 

By Jerry Pennick 

This year the United 

States Department 

of Agriculture 

is celebrating its 150 

year anniversary. It was 

established by Congress 

under the Lincoln administration 

in 1862. The 

first paragraph of the Act 

reads: “Be it enacted by the 

Senate and House of Representatives 

of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

that there in hereby establish at the seat of government of the United 

States a Department of Agriculture, the general design and duties of 

which shall be to acquire and diffuse among the people of the United 

States useful information and subjects connected with agriculture in 

the most general and comprehensive sense of the word, and to procure, 

propagate, and distribute among the people new and valuable 

seeds and plants.” The USDA later became known as the “peoples 

department” which seemed appropriate because in someway it 

impacts the lives of every American. 

Unfortunately more often than not, “the people” did not include 

African-Americans. Soon the department acquired another 

moniker- “the last plantation.” For well over a century the USDA 

has had a documented history of racial discrimination that has 

contributed to a dramatic decline in African-American farms and 

land loss. In the early 1900s there were nearly 250,000 African- 

American farmers and African-Americans owned over 15 million 

acres of agriculture land. Today there are less than 30,000 Afri- 


can-American farmers and 2.5 million acres of African-American 

owned farmland. While this dramatic decline cannot be totally 

attributed to the USDA it did play a major role both directly as 

well as indirectly. 

This institutionalized marginalization and discrimination culminated 

in one of the largest racial discrimination settlements 

against the government in history – Pigford I and Pigford II. 

While neither addresses needed structural changes within the department, 

the current secretary has begun to implement policies 

aimed at changing the culture so embedded within the department 

and for the first time talk of making individuals and agencies 

more accountable for their actions. However, the jury is still 

out as to whether these small steps will lead to bold actions. 

There is so much that needs to be done before we can truly 

celebrate and the current farm bill debate is not very encouraging. 

The one program that has had the most success in moving farmers 

of color toward more inclusion and equity within agriculture 

is in serious danger of being eliminated or seriously damaged. 

That program is Section 2501 and provides outreach and technical 

assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Studies 

have shown that in areas where that program is implemented 

by experienced service providers there is a significant decline in 

the rate of African-American farm loss, or in some instances an 

increase in the number of farmers. The current Senate Agriculture 

Committee’s version calls for an 80 percent cut in this successful 

program. Both Congress and the USDA should fight to preserve 

2501 with no cut in funding. 

This glaring neglect as well as other proposed cuts in programs 

that benefit farmers of color proves that although we have 

come a long way there is still a long way to go before the USDA 

truly becomes the “people’s department.” The 2012 farm bill process 

offers little hope of that happening anytime soon. 

Jerry Pennick can be contacted at epennick@yahoo.com.

Spring 2012 - Minority Landowner

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