Community-Based Participatory Research to address land loss among Black farmers in North Carolina

Racial/ethnic minorities face institutional discrimination in the U.S. One place where this has been pronouced is in discriminatory lending practices seen in agriculture. Black farmers have, historically, been less likely to obtain farm loans from the USDA. Hence, Black farmers are significantly more likely to lose land to foreclosure. These conditions have deleterious effects on the health and economic well-being of Black farmers. Methods: This study investigated the experiences of Black farmers in rural northeastern North Carolina, identifying concerns, strengths, and action steps. Researchers used Photovoice, a qualitative, community-based participatory research (CBPR) method whereby researchers use photographs taken by participants to spark conversation about issues and how to resolve them. The discussions were audiotaped and transcribed. The resulting transcripts were analyzed to ascertain themes and determine patterns. Results: The resulting themes were: historical and current discrimination; positive perceptions of farming; and the next generation. We found that negative health and economic effects of discriminatory lending still exist such as continued threats of foreclosure, less ability to expand farm operations, and mental health issues related to these stressors. However, we also found that the farmers had developed protective factors including self-reliance, strong work ethics, and hope for a new generation of Black farmers, which helped them to remain resilient in the face of discrimination. Conclusions: Institutional discrimination remains a barrier to maintaining generational family farming within the Black population. Black farmers would benefit from continued modification to current lending systems, increased education on estate planning, and greater representation in farm-related agencies.