skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, December 8, 2023

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Some South Dakota farmers are unhappy with industrial ag getting conservation funds; Texas judge allows abortion in Cox case; Native tribes express concern over Nevada's clean energy projects.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Colorado Supreme Court weighs barring Trump from office, Georgia Republicans may be defying a federal judge with a Congressional map splitting a Black majority district and fake electors in Wisconsin finally agree Biden won there in 2020.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Texas welcomes more visitors near Big Bend but locals worry the water won't last, those dependent on Colorado's Dolores River fear the same but have found common ground solutions, and a new film highlights historical healthcare challenges in rural Appalachia.

New Land Trust Model Will Support BIPOC-led Farming in Central VA

play audio
Play

Friday, November 26, 2021   

RICHMOND, Va. -- In central Virginia, permanent access to land is one of the biggest barriers to farming. A new land-trust model aims to secure both rural farmlands for affordable housing and agricultural practice for new farmers, while also acquiring land in urban centers to foster economic growth.

With support from the nonprofit Agrarian Trust and the Maggie Walker Community Land Trust in Richmond, the Central Virginia Agrarian Commons will focus on redistributing access to land to communities of color who've been historically denied land-owning opportunities.

Duron Chavis, board member of the Central Virginia Agrarian Commons and an activist from Richmond, said the model can begin to address racial inequity in the state.

"Who has the decision-making power over land?" Chavis asked. "Black and brown people are usually on the wrong side of that disparity. For an organization to step in and say, 'Hey, we're going to raise money to ensure that communities that have been historically marginalized are able to activate strategies for self-determination on land' is very important."

Davis noted the Commons is in the process of acquiring about 100 acres being donated in Amelia County, which will serve as the rural farming operation of the Commons. The organization also launched a website this month and is working on fundraising for the rezoning process to turn the land into a working farm.

The Commons is also attempting to acquire land and commercial property in Richmond to distribute the agricultural products produced on the rural farmland.

Chavis pointed out people in Richmond aspire to farm but face challenges such as soil health from contaminants. He contended the Commons could change that.

"It has the potential to create inroads for marginalized communities," Chavis explained. "Where they can not only grow, but they also have access to commercial property, where they'll be able to move into a space where the scale of produce that can be developed in the rural area can be brought into the city."

Other Agrarian Commons farms have already been established throughout the country, including in West Virginia, Maine, and New Hampshire.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
More than 2,000 patients with intellectual or developmental disabilities have received dental care in group home day center settings across North Carolina, according to Access Dental. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Most people probably never give a second thought to their visits to the dentist, but not everyone can navigate this process with ease. People with …


Social Issues

play sound

Christmas is a little more than two weeks away, and toy drives around the country are in full swing. A North Dakota organizer shares some things to …

Social Issues

play sound

A federal judge in Nevada has dealt three tribal nations a legal setback in their efforts to stop what could be the construction of the country's larg…


A study on earth.org reveals a 6 1/2-foot artificial Christmas tree would have to be used for at least 12 years for it to be more ecofriendly than a real Christmas tree. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Hoosiers could get their holiday trees from any of about 200 tree farms in the state, according to the Indiana Christmas Tree Growers Association…

Social Issues

play sound

Reports from the Insurance Commissioner's office and the state Attorney General reveal an analysis of what they call "the true costs of health care" i…

Environment

play sound

Connecticut lawmakers are reluctant to approve new emission standards that would require 90% cleaner emissions from internal-combustion engines and re…

Social Issues

play sound

Another controversial move in Florida's education system is a proposal to drop sociology, the study of social life and the causes and consequences of …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021