“This is wonderful news for minority farmers in Southeast Arkansas,” Ross said.  “The grant will help farmers and ranchers to successfully acquire, own, operate, and retain farms and ranches by delivering a wide range of outreach and assistance activities including farm management, financial management, and marketing.”   

The grant is part of the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Rangers (OASDFR) Program, and is administered by USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, the department’s lead research and education funding agency.  A socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher is one of a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice without regard to their individual qualities.