BIPOC farmers struggle to recover after heavy rains wipe out crops, delay replanting

Farmers of color say they’re having difficulty making up for losses after heavy rains this spring and summer wiped out early crops.

Esther Ondieki, a hobby farmer at Sharing Our Roots farm in Dakota County, said this year has been her most devastating season. She felt hopeless after the long-lasting rain. She’s made three times less money than she usually does in a season.

“It’s really hard, because with the amount of money I spent, I don’t know what I’m going to do to get it back,” Ondieki said.

Minnesota saw a record-setting amount of rainfall from April through June, according to the University of Minnesota Extension office’s Minnesota WeatherTalk . More than 120 climate stations reported over 25 inches of rain in the first six months of the year, and 60 communities reporting rainfall amounts that were 6 to 12 inches above normal levels.

Ondieki said she spent more than $10,000 to set up her farm for the season. She spent $3,500 on seeds and seedlings, and the rest on other expenses, including workers who help care for her farm. She had to dip into funds not designated for farming to recover from rain-related losses, and said she has only made $2,500 of her money back.

Ondieki used to farm when she lived in Kenya, and started her organic farm in Minnesota in 2021 after learning that a lot of vegetables in the United States are grown with chemicals.

She farms 1.5 acres, and sells broccoli, cucumber and zucchini, among other produce, through the Local Emerging Assistance Farmer Fund (LEAFF) and to the Community Action Center, which has a network of three food shelves in Rice County. LEAFF buys produce from small-scale farmers and donates it to food shelves and other hunger relief programs.

Ondieki said she was only able to replant a few crops that can grow in the short amount of time remaining this season, including kiwis and collard greens.

Farmers at Route 1 are in a similar situation. Route 1 is an organization that helps emerging BIPOC farmers access resources, acquire land, grow their businesses, increase generational wealth and increase food access within communities of color.

“Most of the farmers have been delayed at least two or three weeks, meaning a decrease of anywhere between 10% and 20% of their income for the entire year,” said founder Marcus Carpenter.

Reithen Curtis, a farmer at Route 1 who grows hemp, fruits and vegetables, said he had to restart crops at his farm in Loretto, Minnesota, when rain washed away most of his initial plantings. He missed out on early farmers markets and lost money.

“If you’re a working person like myself and you’re trying to do this as a hobby, it sets you back financially not only because of the seeds, but the time invested in going out there,” Curtis said.

A total washout not only affects the farmers economically, but also the communities they supply, Carpenter said.

“The number one factor for increasing health equity, specifically within communities of color and underserved communities, is food,” Carpenter said. “How are we getting good, clean, nutritious and culturally relevant food to the people that need it?”

Curtis said many emerging farmers don’t have access to certain resources, adding that he rents tractors and does not have property insurance.

Organizations like the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture provide resources, grants and emergency grants for farmers. But some BIPOC farmers may face barriers accessing those programs because of technological barriers and a lack of language translation, among other challenges, Carpenter said.

Farmers with the Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) grow food for their families, communities and farmers markets, and also have independent contracts with schools or community-supported agriculture programs to provide produce. Heavy rains washed out young plants and prevented farmers from replanting them, according to Andrea Simms, a farmhand with HAFA.

The HAFA farm is made up of 155 acres in Hastings. Each farmer is responsible for five to 10 acres. Farmers grow crops such as eggplant, cabbage, broccoli, cucumber, onion, carrots and tomatoes, among others.

Simms said HAFA farmers have had challenges fulfilling their contracts. The rain made plants prone to disease and helped spread disease across the soil, she said, adding that some farmers threw out all of the crops on their plots to start over — sometimes even weeks after a rainfall — because of rotting plants and an increase in insects.

“The wetness of the soil is like a bed for diseases to continue to grow,” Simms said.

Rebuilding

Carpenter said this season’s weather is an example of weather whiplash, which is rapid swings between extreme weather conditions.

“As we move forward in time, these instances of greater variation in our weather are just becoming more consistent,” Carpenter said.

Last summer, the challenge for farmers was a lack of rain until mid to late July, according to Carpenter. As weather whiplash becomes more common, he said, farmers are finding new ways to combat the effects of climate change.

The first steps in addressing this year’s rain at Route 1 was moving farmers to higher land that was drier and replanting crops that can grow in the short amount of time left in the season.

Route 1 is also focusing on repairing and protecting soil that was washed out, and using regenerative farming methods, including cover crops, to replenish the nutrients in those areas.

Curtis said that when he replanted his crops, he implemented raised beds to help water drain away.

“We’re farming in a way where we’re really focusing on how we can help ensure that the soil is as healthy as possible,” Carpenter said. “We’re investing in the soil, we’re investing in the earth.”

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