Day Two Conference Schedule 

2023 Conference Schedule – day 2

February 9-10, 2023

2023 Delaware State University's Black Farmers' Conference November 8-9, 2023

2023 Delaware State University's Black Farmers' Conference November, 8-9, 2023

2023 Black Farmer’s Conference Schedule

November 8th – Day Two

Conference Agenda November 8th | Novermber 9th

Nov. 9th, 8AM – 8:30AM

Registration and Coffee

Open to all attendees Breakfast will be provided

Nov 9th, 8:30AM – 9:00AM

Welcome and Overview:
Roadmap for USDA Services

Location: MLK Parlors

PANELIST/SPEAKERS:
Ms. Kasey Taylor
Acting Conservationist NE, USDA NRCS

Nov 9th, 9:00AM – 9:50AM

Plenary 1: Black Farmers and Mental Health

LOCATION: MLK PARLORS

MODERATOR:
Dr Gwen Scott- Jones
Dean of the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences

PANEL:

  • Ms. Kim Graham, DSU Trauma Academy Director
  • Ms. Venessa Sims, Director, Emergency Management at State of Georgia – Georgia Department of Agriculture
  • Dr.  Laura House, Engagement and Equity Officer
  • 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Coordinating Office
    Office of the Assistant Secretary
  • Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

 

Nov 9th, 10:00AM – 10:45AM

Special Plenary:

Spotlight on USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service- An Agency Making a Difference

Nov 9th, 10:00AM-10:45AM

Spotlight on USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service- An Agency Making a difference

LOCATION: MLK PARLORS


PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

Ms. Kasey Taylor
NRCS Acting NE Regional Conservationist

 

Nov 9th, 10:45AM-11:00AM

BREAK

Nov 9th, 11:15AM – 11:50AM

Plenary 2:
Current State of Black Farming in the US: Opportunities and Challenges

LOCATION: MLK PARLORS

GREETINGS BY:
Dr. Debbie Harrington,
DSU Board of Trustee Member

Mr.  John Boyd, Jr. President
National Black farmers Association

 

Nov 9th, 12:00PM – 1:00 PM

Luncheon and Networking:

Justice and Farming legislation: Policy Formulation and Implementation

LOCATION: MLK PARLORS

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

Video Messages from:
Congress Woman Lisa Blunt-Rochester
and Senator Thomas Carper

Address by Rep. Sherry Dorsey Walker

Nov 9th, 1:00PM – 2:00PM

Plenary 3:

The Plight of the Black Farmers in the United States of America: A Legal Forecast

LOCATION: MLK PARLORS

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

Mrs. Cathleen Trigg -Jones
Entertainment Executive

Attorney Benjamin Crump
Emmy Award Winner

Nov 9th, 2:00PM – 2:30PM

Special Presentation:
Discrimination Financial Assistance

LOCATION: PARLORS

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:
Monica Rainge
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights, USDA

Nov 9th, 2:30PM – 3:30 PM

Producers, Landowners and Producers

Appointments with Agencies

LOCATION: VARIOUS ROOMS

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

USDA

FSA: Joseph Scott, Brittany Benton, Courtney Jones, Robin Talley

RD: Colleen Reed, Bruce Weaver

NRCS: Kyle Hearn, Brooke Jones, Jayme Arthurs, Ann Baldwin

CONCURRENT

Community Groups and Nonprofits

Discussion of USDA Grant Programs for Nonprofits

LOCATION: MLK PARLOR A

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

USDA

RD: Marie Boys, Azhia Cagle, Rasheeda Onasanya

NRCS:  Chris Bohinski, Thelton Savage, Madison Walter

CONCURRENT

College Students and High School Students

Students in Agriculture

LOCATION: MLK PARLOR B

MODERATORS:
Dr. Antonette Todd,
Assistant Professor of Genetics and Genomics, AGNR

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

USDA

FSA: Caitlin Sheffer, Maryann Reed

RD: Anastasia Brugger, Letitia Nichols

NRCS: Leon Tillman, Shantel King

Nov 9th, 3:30PM – 4:30PM

Producers, Landowners, and Producers:

Emerging Technology Applications for Farming and Farm Management

LOCATION: MLK PARLOR C 

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

  • Dr. Bruce J. Erikson
  • Dr. Rose Ogutu

Concurrent

Producers, Landowners, Growers:

Appointment with Agencies

LOCATION: VARIOUS ROOMS

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

NRCS:  Thelton Savage, Kyle Hearn, Brooke Jones, Jayme Arthurs, Ann Baldwin

FSA:   Joseph Scott, Brittany Benton, Courtney Jones

RD:  Bruce Weaver

Concurrent

Community Groups, Nonprofits:
Urban Agricultural Grants

LOCATION: MLK PARLOR A

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

  • USDA
  • RD: Marie Boys, Azhia Cagle, Rasheeda Onasanya
  • NRCS:  Chris Bohinski, Thelton Savage, Madison Walter

Concurrent

DSU Students:
USDA and Agricultural Scholarships and Student Panel

LOCATION: MLK PARLOR B

MODERATORS:
1890 Scholar, Amber Fitch

Nov 9th, 3:00PM – 3:50 PM

Producers, Landowners, and Producers:

Appointment with Agencies

PANELISTS/SPEAKERS:

  • USDA – FSA, NRCS, RD
  • DDA

Nov 9th, 4:30PM

ADJOURN

Conference Agenda November 8th | Novermber 9th

Day 2 Activities will center on farmers meeting directly with agencies’ personnel.
The farmers will use the information in which they gleaned to pursue funding and guidance through individual appointments.

Farm tours will also be available.

2023 Delaware State University's Black Farmers' Conference November 8-9, 2023

2023 Delaware State University's Black Farmers' Conference November, 8-9, 2023

Our Black Farmers Face Unique Challenges.

Black Farmers operate at 70% of US peer-level farm revenue with a 14% operating margin gap versus their peers, before government payments 

While the role of the agriculture economy has grown, the share of Black farmers in the United States has declined over the last century.

Today, just 1.4% of farmers identify as Black or mixed race compared with about 14% 100 years ago. Representing less than 0.5 percent of total US farm sales

This conference is for you if you are…

A New Black Farmer

Seasoned Black Farmers

5 years or more..

Student Interested in Agriculture

A Female
Farmer

An Agriculture
Vendor

Multi-Arce Black
Land Owner

Socially Disadvantaged Farmer

A Black Farmer in need of  Resources and Capital