Long history for Black farmers in Ontario

Jun 18, 2020

Shannon and Bryan Prince can trace their family history back to formerly enslaved ancestors who farmed the same land they do

By Jackie Clark
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Shannon Prince, a Black Canadian farmer, and her family have deep roots in southwestern Ontario.

Prince’s husband, Bryan Prince, can trace his family history in the community to 1850. His great-great-great-grandmother Francis – called Fanny – settled in the Elgin Settlement, on what is now the 8^th line.

The Elgin Settlement, also known as Buxton, was a vibrant community of formerly enslaved Black people.

Franny was formerly enslaved in South Carolina. It is not known whether she and her children fled using the Underground Railroad or with the consent of the slave owner, who was also the father of her children. She settled in Buxton and grew spring wheat, potatoes, beans, hay and corn. Fanny also raised a few livestock.

Shannon and Bryan Prince have, over time, inherited and purchased land that belonged to their ancestors in Buxton. The couple have four children who live in the area and farm part-time.

“We're blessed every day to share those moments with them and now their children,” Prince said.

The hardworking and collaborative spirit of the Black people who settled Buxton dovetails with the supportive nature of farming communities in the area today.

“It doesn't matter if you're a Black farmer or if you're a white farmer here. We all are facing the same challenges. So, if we can't get all our soybeans planted and we know rain is on the horizon, one of our neighbors will come in, fill up his or her drill, and continue to plant,” Prince said.

Black farmers are an important part of Canada’s history, as well as the current agricultural landscape. However, Black farmers are rarely represented in leadership roles of farm organizations or commodity groups.

“I think there is an interest; it would be nice to see that diversity. But I think (the push) has to come from the farmers themselves. And I don't think there would be any opposition … I would hope not,” said Prince.

Prince is also the curator of Buxton National Historic Site and Museum. You can learn more about the history of Buxton here.

For advice on how to begin talking more about race and inclusion in agriculture, click here.

Shannon Prince photo

Video: The Investment Opportunities of Industrial Hemp

The fledgling U.S. hemp industry is decades behind countries like Canada, France and China, but according to impact investor and this week’s podcast guest, Pierre Berard, it could flourish into a $2.2 billion industry by 2030 and create thousands of jobs.

To reach its potential, what the hemp industry needs most right now, Berard said, is capital investment.

Last month, Berard published a report titled “Seeing the U.S. Industrial Hemp Opportunity — A Pioneering Venture for Investors and Corporations Driven by Environmental, Social and Financial Concerns” in which he lays out the case for investment.

It’s as if Berard, with this report, is waving a giant flag, trying to attract the eyes of investors, saying, “Look over here. Look at all this opportunity.”

Berard likens the burgeoning American hemp industry to a developing country.

“There is no capital. People don’t want to finance. This is too risky. And I was like, OK, this sounds like something for me,” he said.

As an impact investor who manages funds specializing in agro-processing companies, Berard now has his sights set on the U.S. hemp industry, which he believes has great economic value as well as social and environmental benefits.

He spent many years developing investment in the agriculture infrastructure of developing countries in Latin America and Africa, and said the hemp industry feels similar.

“It is very nascent and it is a very fragmented sector. You have pioneers and trailblazers inventing or reinventing the field after 80 years of prohibition,” he said. “So I feel very familiar with this context.”

On this week’s hemp podcast, Berard talks about the report and the opportunities available to investors in the feed, fiber and food sectors of the hemp industry.

Building an industry around an agricultural commodity takes time, he said. According to the report, “The soybean industry took about 50 years to become firmly established, from the first USDA imports in 1898 to the U.S. being the top worldwide producer in the 1950s.”

Berard has a plan to accelerate the growth of the hemp industry and sees a four-pillar approach to attract investment.

First, he said, the foundation of the industry is the relationship between farmers and processors at the local level.

Second, he said the industry needs what he calls a “federating body” that will represent it, foster markets and innovations, and reduce risk for its members and investors.

The third pillar is “collaboration with corporations that aim to secure or diversify their supply chains with sustainable products and enhance their ESG credentials. This will be key to funding the industry and creating markets,” he said.

The fourth pillar is investment. Lots of it. Over $1.6 billion over seven years. This money will come from government, corporations, individual investors, and philanthropic donors.

The 75-page report goes into detail about the hemp industry, its environmental and social impact, and the opportunities available to investors.

Read the report here: Seeing the U.S. Industrial Hemp Opportunity

Also on this episode, we check in with hemp and bison farmer Herb Grove from Brush Mountain Bison in Centre County, PA, where he grew 50 acres of hemp grain. We’ll hear about harvest and dry down and crushing the seed for oil and cake.

Comments (2)

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Regarding Peter Carter's comment I too consider white people and Black people to be equal however many policies have been in place across Canada to ensure we are unequal. White folks have the advantage to say "I see no race" because much of the time we operate with benefits which can seem invisible to us. Were we subject to acts of racism, large or small, either systemic or individual like access to financial funding, increased scrutiny by police, being one of a handful of people of colour in a white community or questions like "where are you really from" we might begin to see healing from the hate people give.
Mary |Jul 21 2020 5:25PM

When I look at a person standing beside me I do not think that person is better than I am and vice versa -- I consider us both equal -- no matter what color or creed and if others would do the same then we wouldn't have all this hate in the world -- we are all "children of God".
Peter Carter |Jun 23 2020 5:26AM

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