Owners Launch Go-Fund Appeal For Black Farm Store Market

By Rosaland Tyler
Associate Editor
New Journal and Guide

The owners of a Black-owned farm, which is located near the historic Nat Turner site in Southampton County, launched a $30,000 GoFundMe goal that has raised about $3,000.

The fund was launched this past fall by Shelton Muhammad, whose family has owned the farm for 15 years. Muhammad said they have fought to maintain ownership due to a coordinated effort that aims to acquire the farm. He said local agencies, legal entities, and individuals with deep institutional influence aim to seize it through legal and financial manipulation.

Through the years, similar allegations have been leveled by other Black farmers, who owned about 28,000 farms in 2022, compared to about 900,00 farms in 1920, according to National Agricultural Statistics Service. This means Black farm ownership has dropped from 15 percent in 1920, to 1.5 percent in 2022.

“Generations of Black farmers have had their land stolen or have been forced to sell through underhanded tactics,” Muhammad said in a Feb. 24 statement that he posted on Black News.com. “We are determined not to let history repeat itself.”

“The major players in this battle representing the Government of the United States are members of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency FSA, Southampton County Officials, and their lawyers, and scared-to-death negroes who work for these agencies against Black farmers,” Muhammad said.

“Destroying us financially would cause us financial hardships and distress, resulting in what they hoped would be a diminishing desire for the farm, loss of hope in advancing the farm, and then either selling or losing the farm due to lack of revenue to pay the mortgage or real estate taxes. But most importantly, they also wanted to kill any desire in my family, especially my sons, for farming and for them to pursue other endeavors.”

Muhammad says that despite mounting legal and repair costs, the family was able to retain the land. However, he warns that another wave of sabotage has recently targeted their primary farming operation.

“The family has received a proposed real estate tax payment plan from lawyers Muhammad believes are working to create conditions that would lead to default and force a court-ordered sale. The plan is to make us break the payment terms and then rush our property into a forced sale through the courts.”

Although he has been unable to obtain a commercial poultry operational loan that would provide funds for day-to-day farming operation such as employee payrolls, utility bills, electric bills, mortgage, real estate taxes, farm repairs, home repairs, and equipment repairs, he plans to launch an agribusiness model in Southampton County.

It is called “The Farm Store Market.” It will help Black farmers maintain and sustain their farms, create jobs, and provide quality food to nearby communities.

“We believe we are engaged in a final battle for Muhammad Family Farm with the forces that have historically destroyed Black farmers and their farms,” he said.

“In 2010, we were blessed to purchase the farm, and immediately, until this present time, we have been under attack.”

Donations can be made using:
Cash App: $sheltonmuhammadfarm
Zelle: (757) 556-2381

Or by sending a check or money order made payable to:

Muhammad Family Farm

33181 The Hall Road
Branchville, VA 23828
There is also a GoFundMe page a:
https://gofund.me/6ef20c5c