Boyd
Members of the CBC met with Ron Kirk last week as did National Black Farmers Association President John Boyd. PRESS RELEASE from BOYD: Ron Kirk met with John Boyd, Founder and President of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), to discuss a range of issues impacting America’s minority farmers. “On behalf of the nation’s Black farmers I want to thank Ambassador Ron Kirk, President Obama’s U.S. Trade Representative for meeting with our organization yesterday and committing to help our members become more involved in international agricultural trade efforts,” said NBFA’s John Boyd. “The meeting was positive and very productive. The nation’s Black farmers are an asset to our country, providing food for millions of Americans, yet for too long they have not been able to take full advantage of meaningful agricultural trade efforts abroad. We are hopeful that Ambassador Kirk’s commitment to work together will provide access to new markets that can help sustain America’s minority farmers who have suffered from discrimination and other restrictive forces at many stages of the trade or commerce processes.
During the meeting, Ambassador Kirk discussed the Obama Administration’s commitment to supporting the growth and success of America’s agricultural industry at home, specifically through trade and investment. “John Boyd and I had a very productive meeting on how U.S. trade policy can create new opportunities for America’s black farmers to help their businesses grow and thrive,” said Ambassador Kirk. “Minority farmers are indeed a huge asset to our nation and our economy. President Obama and I both value their ability to promote economic growth and are committed to their success. I look forward to building a strong partnership and working closely together with the National Black Farmers Association on ways to increase their access to new markets and expand agricultural production at home, as well as trade abroad.”
