Entering its third year, NMSDC’s Acres: Cultivating Equity in Black Agriculture program will provide support to 30 Black farmers and ranchers.
The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) recently announced its 2025 Acres: Cultivating Equity in Black Agriculture participants. This year’s cohort includes individuals from across the U.S. In its third year, Acres trains and certifies Black farmers and ranchers as diverse suppliers. Its goal is to help increase incomes as producers access new markets, including commodities, grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail outlets.
Members of this year’s program include:
- Carlos Bailey, Bailey Farms South – Bonita, La.
- Darryl Benson, Benson Cattle Company LLC – Wagoner, Okla.
- Christi Bland-Miller, CMB Farm LLC – Sledge, Miss.
- Dominique Bostic-Arrington, AAA Therapeutic Farm – Charlotte, N.C.
- Juanita Chavarria, Baby Chavs – Tacoma, Wash.
- Delroy Dennisur, Dennisur Farm/The Harvest Project – Powder Springs, Ga.
- Andre Frazier, Ella Bea’s Farm – Thomasville, Ala.
- Hilery Gobert, Driftwood Farm – Iowa, La.
- Courtney Grigsby, Grigsby Natural Grow – Star City, Ark.
- Musa Hasan, Bread and Butter Farms LLC – Sparta, Ga.
- Leslie Hollie, Pinkard Farms, Hollie Global Enterprise LLC – Dallas, Texas
- Faith Jackson, Flavor by Faith – Indianapolis, Ind.
- Jonathan Jackson, Berkshire Farms Winery – Dallas, Texas
- Warren James, James Farms – Montezuma, Ga.
- Gabriel Jimenez, Caribe United Farm – Crawford, Ga.
- Eddie Lewis, Eddie Lewis Cane Farms – Youngsville, La.
- TJ Love, Love Ranch – Wagoner, Okla.
- Patrick Muhammad, Your Faith Farms, Fairburn
- Vivian Muhammad, The Elephant Gardens LLC – Indianapolis, Ind.
- George Payne, George Payne Farm – Elm Grove, La.
- Shakera Raygoza, Terra Preta Farm LLC – Edinburg, Texas
- Ashley Richardson, Full Circle Bloom – Vertical Aeroponics – Kenbridge, Va.
- Dulime Saint-Jean, LaKay Farm – Atlanta, Ga.
- Major Stevenson, Taylor Stevenson Ranch Meat Co., Myrtle Farms LLC – Houston, Texas
- Nicole Vanderhorst, WH Farms Co. – Charlotte, N.C.
- Rufus “Michael” Veal, Chris & Camille’s Family Farm – Zachary, La.
- Dionne Washington, AZ Community Hub – Glendale, Ariz.
- Oliver Washington IV, Shore Acres Plant Farm, Inc. – Theodore, Ala.
- Todd Western IV, Freedom Farms – Minneapolis, Minn.
- Diana Wilson, Blue Moon Rising LLC – Sparta, Ga.
“As NMSDC evolves its programming to better serve the changing needs of our MBE community, the Acres program is more important than ever. Addressing and removing the systemic obstacles facing our community of Black farmers and ranchers is key to creating a stronger, more resilient food supply chain capable of overcoming the socioeconomic and environmental challenges that threaten to undermine our country’s future food security,” said NMSDC senior director of strategic partnerships & MBE services, Jetheda Hernandez.
Farmers and ranchers in the program will engage in a 12-week learning curriculum thanks to Acres educational partner, the Southern University Ag Center, focused on growing their capacity to take on major national contracts with NMSDC corporate members. In addition, upon completion of the program, NMSDC will help participants obtain their MBE certification.
The Acres program is made possible thanks to the generous support of Cargill, UNFI, Papa John’s, Compass Group, Hershey, Bayer, and Beam Suntory.
To learn more about the Acres program, visit https://nmsdc.org/programs/acres-cultivating-equity-in-black-agriculture/.
About NMSDC
Founded in 1972, NMSDC is the longest-operating business growth engine for the broadest group of systematically excluded communities of color (Asian-Indian, Asian-Pacific, Black, Hispanic, and Native American), and our impact goes far beyond the supply chain. It’s about upward mobility for the emerging majority of Americans, an equal shot at participating in the American experiment of free-market capitalism and entrepreneurship. Our work is about correcting the unequal access to wealth-building opportunities. For more information, please visit nmsdc.org.
