By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
The 19th Annual North Carolina Minority Farmers & Landowners Conference began Monday morning at the Raleigh Hilton in North Hills.
Archie Hart, a small farms representative with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA), opened the event with a welcome and introduction, followed by remarks from Shauna Williams, Executive Director of the Legislative Black Caucus.
The conference opened with a policy-focused session titled “Ag Policy Engagement,” led by speaker Phil Farland, who emphasized the importance of minority voices in shaping agricultural policy and explained the conservation easement application process.
Farland described how easement values are calculated by comparing the fair market value (FMV) of a property with its restricted-use value (RUV), with the difference between the two representing the purchase price. He also outlined the financial support available through these programs, including cash considerations and tax incentives, and highlighted key steps such as conducting a 60-year title search, environmental prescreening, and working with land trusts and Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs).
Farland stressed the role of lenders, explaining, “The lender has to either agree to a payoff or subordinate to the easement. If not, that’s where the process could stop.”
When asked during the Q&A if easements could be placed along a stream, Farland confirmed they could and added that boundaries could be customized to leave out areas for future development or housing, which can aid in financing.
Farland also pointed out that these state and federal farmland preservation programs are highly competitive. Farmers must have a clear title, avoid existing liens, and reach a family consensus before proceeding. Lender-approval is necessary if there is a mortgage, and participation requires permanent land-use restrictions designed to protect farmland for future generations.
The next session, titled “Ag Economic Outlook,” featured Dr. Jeffrey Dorfman, Distinguished Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics at NC State University.
Dorfman shared a generally positive economic forecast, citing continued GDP growth—albeit slower—along with low unemployment and strong consumer spending, particularly in services like dining and travel. Although many Americans still feel the sting of inflation, Dorfman noted that inflation has dropped considerably from its peak.
“If people are still eating out and going on vacation, then the economy’s doing okay. You don’t go out to eat if you’re broke,” he said.
However, he flagged the growing federal budget deficit as a concern, noting its role in driving up interest rates and stating that a meaningful reduction in the deficit is unlikely in the near future.
On agriculture specifically, Dorfman predicted commodity prices would remain steady, while input costs—such as fertilizer and diesel—were beginning to stabilize. For many farmers, he expects 2025 to be a break-even or slight loss year, though livestock producers may fare slightly better than crop growers.
He encouraged farmers to focus on strong business planning and to consider alternative models like agritourism or direct-to-retail sales to improve profitability. Dorfman also mentioned pending legislation, including the Protecting Our Produce Act, which aims to increase traceability requirements, and he warned that potential SNAP program changes could impact food producers depending on how the rules are finalized.
The conference continued with a session on regenerative agriculture led by Joe Schroeder of Accelerated Appalachia and Sam Cook from NC State’s College of Natural Resources. Schroeder encouraged the adoption of practices that build long-term soil health and emphasized the importance of market development, food hubs, and value-added products.
Tim Beard, North Carolina State Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), also presented. With a career at NRCS dating back to 1988 and experience in multiple states, Beard now oversees conservation efforts across North Carolina.
In his remarks, he emphasized the importance of federal support for landowners and conservation work but was frank about recent challenges the agency has faced. Specifically, he explained that budget cuts under the Trump administration dramatically reduced the agency’s funding.
“We went from $60 million to $23 million,” Beard said. “Another program dropped from $29 million to $15 million. A set of four projects was cut to one, with funding slashed from $58 million down to $16 million.”
The first day concluded with a technology session featuring Joe Trigg, a former city council member and USDA FSA employee from Kentucky, who presented the My Farm Exchange app—a tool designed to help small farmers better manage operations.
That was followed by a presentation from Eloris Speight and Conisha Brumfield of the National Policy Research Center at Alcorn State University, who offered updates on recent USDA equity policy shifts.
On Tuesday, the conference continued with Alicia Netterville of Acclivity Strategies leading a Farm Bill Planning session centered on farmer engagement and strategic policy development, leading to a field visit to the farm of Donald Hines in Jacksonville, NC, where attendees will see firsthand how conservation and regenerative practices are being integrated into a working farm.
On Wednesday, conference attendees gathered for a Fellowship and Prize Drawing session before joining a panel discussion focused on Access to Capital and Economic Development. Later in the day, Kevin E. Price, Chief Sustainability and Inclusion Officer, led a session highlighting the work of the National Institute of Minority Economic Development.
The three-day event concluded with sessions on Estate Planning and Asset Management, a Farm Bill Planning Feedback discussion, and closing remarks from Annette Hiatt, Senior Staff Attorney with the Land Loss Prevention Project based in Durham.
