June 12, 2023

Providing A Voice for Farmers of Color

 How farmer and nonprofit CEO, Mr. P. Wade Ross serves his local agricultural community

Established by the parents of Mr. P. Wade Ross in 1998, Texas Small Farmers & Ranchers Community-Based Organization (TSFR/CBO) is recognized around the state of Texas as one of its flagship community-based organizations. Providing a voice and educative channel for small farmers of color, TSFR/CBO has been credited by many for the large number of responses from Black farmers in Texas to the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture, which is said to be unprecedented for the state. 

Mr. Ross is a fourth-generation farmer and co-owner of Hoaganie Farm Products, a cattle and grass farming operation just outside of College Station, TX, on land that has been in his family since the 1800s. 

Mr. Ross also serves on the Board of Directors for Texas Center for Local Foods, and is one of the establishing members of the Texas Disaster Relief Collaborative and Texas State Advisory Committee. In the past year, Mr. Ross has been featured by CNN, The Dallas Morning News, Wall Street Journal, and The Austin Chronicle. These articles surround the critical topic of racial equity and social justice. 

Mr. Ross is currently in the final stages of becoming certified as a Natural Soil Biology Consultant. He plans to utilize his extensive knowledge base to further the mission of providing small farmers with access to resources. Over the next 2-3 years and beyond, the focus of Texas Small Farmers & Ranchers CBO is to form a clear path for small growers and producers of color to become key participants in local food systems in Texas, monetizing their land, creating wealth, growing healthy food, and establishing a culture and legacy of prosperity to be enjoyed for generations to come. 

For more information on Texas Small Farmers & Ranchers/CBO, visit www.tsfrcbo.org.