Maryland Land Ownership: Oral Histories Project

Project Overview

FNE24-090
Project Type: Farmer
Funds awarded in 2024: $18,700.00
Projected End Date: 06/30/2026
Grant Recipient: Beauty Blooms LLC
Region: Northeast
State: Maryland
Project Leader:
Nia Nyamweya
Beauty Blooms LLC

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Education and Training: farmer to farmer
  • Farm Business Management: land access

    Proposal summary:

    Affordable land access is the number one barrier for small-scale and beginning farmers. In the past century, the United States has seen ownership among African American farmers go from 14 percent in the early 1900s and drop to 1 percent in 1997. In Maryland the numbers are slightly above the national average, though still not representative of the Maryland population.

    Majority of farmers who own their land obtained land through intergenerational wealth and in the context of economic disparities and an overall lack of representation in regional agriculture. This research project aims to understand the opportunities and challenges in Maryland of farmers who lease farm land and have faced challenges with access to land. We will conduct an oral history project, conducting interviews with farmers and understanding the different pathways taken towards farming and land ownership.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    This project aims to explore the following objectives:

    1. To study and strengthen farmer’s understanding of African American land loss and the importance of land ownership for long-term farm viability 
    2. Understand the challenges farmers in Maryland face in obtaining land ownership disseminated across various demographics
    3. To explore the potential mechanisms to increase farmer land ownership in Maryland
    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.