Minnesota has a vibrant agricultural heritage. But farming has often been inaccessible for non-traditional growers. The last USDA census found that less than 1 percent of Minnesota farmers were people of color.

That doesn’t line up with Minnesota’s population. According to the 2020 general census, a little more than 22 percent of Minnesotans are people of color.

So how do we fix the gap? How can Minnesota achieve more agricultural equity?

Those were the questions MPR News host Angela Davis took to the biggest celebration of agriculture in our state — the Minnesota State Fair. During a special North Star Journey Live conversation on Tuesday, she talked with a panel of experts about what's working to get emerging farmers in the field, and what barriers are still in their way.

Guests:

• KaZoua Berry, director of Big River Farms




• Marcus Carpenter, Route 1 Farms




• Patrice Bailey, assistant commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and oversees the Emerging Farmers Working Group and the Emerging Farmer Office

North Star Journey Live (formerly known as In Focus) is a live event series and reoccurring topic on MPR News with Angela Davis centered around what Minnesota’s diverse communities need to thrive.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.