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Facing Fire and Funding Cuts, Farmer Fights to Save His Land

THE AFRO — In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it would cancel the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program, which had helped farmers like Haughton sell produce while supplying fresh food to communities in need. Haughton’s major customers, like The Campaign Against Hunger and GrowNYC, were directly affected.

Published

11 months ago

November 11, 2025

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By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com

New York farmer David Haughton had hoped the end of the COVID-19 pandemic would bring relief from his revenue challenges. But just as he began to recover, new funding gaps under the 47th president’s administration brought hardship back to his farm. In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it would cancel the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program, which had helped farmers like Haughton sell produce while supplying fresh food to communities in need.

Haughton’s major customers, like The Campaign Against Hunger and GrowNYC, were directly affected.

“Because of the cut, we actually lost 60 percent of our market,” said Haughton. “Some of them dropped out. Some of them we will have to wait a period of time to get money [from]. Some of them still owe me money.”

The LFPA program was established in 2021 under the leadership of former President Joe Biden to assist farmers in addressing pandemic-related challenges. It provided funding to states to purchase produce from local farmers and then distribute it to food banks and other hunger-relief organizations. The program especially sought to support small and minority farmers, who often face greater obstacles than their counterparts.

When LFPA was terminated earlier this year, local organizations no longer had the funding to pay for Haughton’s produce, putting a serious strain on his cash flow. Suddenly, the 35-acre property he had cultivated since 1995—following the death of his son—was at risk.

“We almost lost our home and our property because we couldn’t make the mortgage payments,” said Haughton.

Because he is a small, Black farmer, securing a loan to help with his financial challenges proved difficult. It was the Black Farmer Fund (BFF) that provided Haughton a lifeline. The organization was created by farmer activists in 2017 to provide low-interest loans, grants, and technical assistance to Black farmers and other food businesses.

Myra Marcellin, investment director at BFF, said that access to capital and resources remains the top obstacle to the sustainability of Black farmers’ operations—especially in light of funding changes under the 47th president’s administration.

“Some of the grants that have been canceled and paused have really impacted Black farmers the most,” said Marcellin.

For many farmers, like Haughton, that means the difference between keeping their land and losing it. Marcellin said BFF uses its $20 million integrated capital fund to help Black farmers scale their operations and economic and social impact.

“With folks, like farmer Dave, they need support relative to marketing, branding, as well as financial and production support because they have to grow based on demand,” said Marcellin. “As far as the Black Farmers Fund, we provide those levels of technical assistance to help them identify some of these challenges and areas of need so that they can understand their business better and figure out what they need to focus on to optimize their growth potential.”

BFF ultimately provided Haughton with a grant that helped him save both his farm and home. He was also able to buy new equipment and hire a few part-time workers.

However, in August 2025, a fire ravaged his home—destroying part of the house, ruining personal belongings and supplies, and flooding the basement. Haughton has set up a GoFundMe page to help with his recovery.

Despite the struggles he’s encountered, Haughton remains committed to being a farmer. It’s been in his blood since growing up on a 14-acre farm in Jamaica.

“Farmers are heroes, and farmers feed heroes,” said Haughton. “We face the most challenging times, whether it’s climate change or the market falling. I wish that the federal government or even some of these financial institutions wouldn’t just look at us but help us.”

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

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Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

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He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
____________________________________________________________________
AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY