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About NBGC

The National Black Growers Council

OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE: TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY, PRODUCTIVITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF BLACK ROW CROP FARMERS.

We are multigenerational producers who advocate for the best interests of Black farmers locally, statewide, and nationally. We promote agriculture in the United States and abroad. Our Board of Directors consists of 12 farmers who operate farms in 11 southern states from Virginia to Texas. Collectively, our Board farms nearly 60,000 acres of row crops.

We all own our farms and seek opportunities to expand our operations. We strive to teach our young men and women about the virtues of farming, the importance of agriculture, and the commitment it takes to be successful in the global business of agriculture.

The NBGC was organized to represent the unique needs of full-time Black farmers. We have formed partnerships with each other, with majority farmers, and with corporations, because together, we all contribute to the global food supply.

We take pride in our resilience and passion for farming.

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NBGC Organization

NBGC was formalized in 2009 and incorporated in 2010.  NBGC collaborates with groups such as the Congressional Black Caucus, land-grant institutions, USDA agencies, agricultural companies, other commodity groups, and community-based organizations.  NBGC was established with two initial classes of membership:

1) regular membership for Black row-crop farmers

2) sustaining membership for companies or organizations that support the group. 

Supporting membership was later added as a category to include individuals or organizations that support NBGC’s mission.  

Learn more about our history
Learn more about our history
View Our Background
Background

An initial meeting of 11 row crop farmers was held at the world headquarters of Monsanto Company in December 2008, a gathering that was several years in the making.  As Monsanto launched the first commercial biotech products in 1995, the industry experienced rapid changes, changes that integrated more investments into the seed purchase.  Consolidation of seed and ag chemical companies was common, with Monsanto being one of the leaders.  After a failed attempt to acquire Delta and Pine Land company in 1998, a successful bid was tendered in 2006 and the acquisition was completed in June 2007.  During the evaluation stage of this $1.5 billion purchase, which primarily focused on cotton seed, the impact of the combined company on Black farmers rose to prominence.  Amidst allegations and challenges, the company elected to identify Black row-crop farmers who could advise them on the impacts of this acquisition to their farms, as well as on other issues impacting their operations, as opposed to engaging in a media campaign to address the myths.  Soliciting assistance from the late Pearlie Reed, a well-respected fixture in the Black agricultural community, Dr. Dewayne Goldmon, then a Cotton Product Manager with Monsanto, led the company’s efforts to identify growers who could serve this purpose.  

NBCG Initial Meeting
Initial Meeting

With the majority of Black row-crop farmers operating in the southeastern U.S., Reed and Goldmon spent 18 months having personal conversations with area farmers who could serve on this advisory board.  They used this information to develop the agenda for the upcoming meeting, with the understanding that the Black farmer class action lawsuit would not be discussed so that the group could develop forward-focused strategies to their issues.  On the first day of the December 2008 meeting, a collection of Monsanto managers discussed various topics of interest, including product overviews, pricing, technology development, grower support programs, talent acquisition, and farm finance options.  Later that evening, the distinguished farmers participated in a reception/dinner with Monsanto executives, including the CEO, Executive Vice Presidents, Business Managers, and leadership from the African Americans in Monsanto (AAIM) resource group.  On the second day, the scene was shifted and the Monsanto executives heard details about the rich history of these multi-generational producers: their struggles, their triumphs, and their shared passion for row-crop farming.  “Some of the biggest challenges we had back then are still problems today, like trying to obtain a loan and receive it in a timely manner,” stated Dexter Gilbert from Florida.  According to Haywood Harrell from North Carolina, Black farmers also lacked access to capital and information.  “Without capital, nothing else falls in place,” said Harper Armstrong from Louisiana. 

Although most of the 11 growers did not know each other, they quickly recognized and gained strength from the fact that they had very similar backgrounds and experiences.  “We found out that we had a lot of issues in common, a lot of pain to bear,” Haywood Harrell recalls. 

Somewhere between the first and second day, the group, and key individuals at Monsanto, started to recognize the collective potential of these growers and concluded that forming an independent organization would better serve the needs of Black row-crop farmers across the nation.  In a roundtable discussion that was intentionally scheduled for the second day, the group discussed actionable ways to improve technology adoption, relationships with local company representatives, youth development and young farmer support, and outreach to other Black farmers.  

After the decision was made to be independent, the group shifted its focus to deciding on particulars for the newly formed organization.  Among the key decisions made was to name themselves the National Black Growers Council (NBGC) with a purpose of serving agronomic crop farmers that make, or desire to make, their living by farming.  The group decided on a clear mission: to improve the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of Black row-crop farmers.  They discussed priorities such as improving grower relationships and building networks, educating Black growers on information and technology, maintaining or increasing Black farmers and Black owned land, improving outreach to other farmers, providing input on ag policy development, improving opportunities for Black youth, and working cooperatively with 1890 land-grant institutions.  They identified resources across the ag sector, including ag companies, foundations, USDA, checkoff funds, and other organizations and potential partners.  

See Our Charter Members
Charter Members

Ten of the eleven farmers who attended the initial meeting served as the founding incorporators and initial Board of Directors for NBGC, a group which provided broad geographical representation as well as diverse experiences in crops produced and issues faced:

  1. Harper Armstrong, Armstrong Farms, Bastrop, LA
  2. Bill Bridgeforth, Darden Bridgeforth and Sons, Tanner, AL
  3. Melvin Crum, Crum Farms, Rowesville, SC
  4. Dexter Gilbert, Gilbert and Sons Farms, Campbellton, FL

We Produce Major Commodities

cotton

corn

rice

soybeans

wheat

Peanuts

canola

oats

grain sorghum

sugarcane

In addition, we grow fruits, vegetables and sweet potatoes. We raise livestock including cattle, hogs and poultry. What’s so great about the products we grow is that it’s all done on lands that have been a part of our heritage for many generations.

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Rethink Farming

This isn’t our granddaddy’s or great granddaddy’s farm.

We constantly integrate technology and partner with the agricultural industry to help develop new products, technologies and processes to strengthen our mission. Farming is hard work but there’s nothing else we’d rather do. We’ve weathered droughts and floods, fought hungry bugs and tough weeds, battled heat waves and freezes, but there’s nothing else we’d rather do. We’ve had profitable years and disastrous years, endured discrimination and intimidation, but there’s nothing else we’d rather do. All thanks to our Creator, and with our positive attitudes, we keep moving forward. Each season, we prepare the soil, plant our fields, tend our crops, monitor the commodity markets, harvest our rewards, raise our families, and teach others about agriculture, the business we love and enjoy. Think of us today as:

  • engineers
  • planners
  • directors
  • managers
  • accountants
  • economists
  • agronomists
  • corporate investors
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