By Cherranda Smith
May 18, 2021
In response to the calls for racial equity amplified by the Black Lives Matter protests last summer, John Deere created a coalition to help Black farmers across the US. The LEAP (Legislation, Education, Advocacy, and Production) Coalition seeks to equip Black farmers with legal and financial resources to ensure their longevity in the agricultural industry.
Over a century ago, Black farmers owned and operated farms on more than 16 million acres of land, compared to 4.7 million acres today. Racial discrimination in lending and land ownership led to the decline of Black owned farmland in the US, though several legislative and programmatic efforts have been underway to help more Black farmers.
John Deere is teaming up with the National Black Growers Council and others to help Black Famers other underrepresented farmers gain title to their land
How John Deere is helping Black farmers and their descendants take back unjustly seized land
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New York (CNN Business)It s been nine years since Michael Robinson of Columbus, Ohio, nearly lost a major part of his family s legacy. He s still fighting to regain full control of it.
In 2012, the 57-year-old married father of four, who is Black, found out someone he d never met named James E. Deshler II was suing his family members to force them to sell their portion of the 127 acres of Barlow Bend, Alabama, farmland that they d inherited from Robinson s late grandfather, Joe Ely.
The local county auditor s website determined last year that the land is worth more than $212,000. The Deshler family and its Thomasville, Alabama, attorney J. Glen Padgett did not respond to a request for comment.
How John Deere is helping Black farmers and their descendents take back unjustly seized land kitv.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kitv.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The snack giant has laid out its impressive Positive Agriculture agenda, designed to significantly shrink its carbon footprint, provide readily-available access to food for global population and improve the livelihoods for more people.