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The racial wealth gap is alarming in most industries and the food and farming industry is no exception. Today, we are joined by social entrepreneur and impact investor, Olivia Watkins, to discuss how her non-profit impact investing organization, Black Farmer Fund, is working to close the gap and create a financial institution that people can trust.

With an MBA in financial management and a BA in environmental biology, Olivia has financed, developed, and operated environmental and social projects across the US for the past seven years! She is the Co-founder and President of the above-mentioned Black Farmer Fund and has worked in several production roles and served as a board member for notable organizations with a focus on sustainable agriculture and social impact.

In this episode, we learn about the Black Farmer Fund’s six core values, and how they’re investing in Black farmers and food businesses to create sustainable and equitable food systems. Olivia shares her vision for the growth of the organization, its impactful ways to shift power continuously, and more! Tune in to find out how BFF is assisting the Black farming community, and what you can do to support them in doing so!

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Key Points From This Episode:

• Olivia Watkins’ journey to her work as a social entrepreneur and impact investor. [0:02:14]

• How the Black Farmer Fund is creating a financial institution that people can trust. [0:04:00]

• The exaggerated racial wealth gap in the farming and food industry. [0:05:20]

• Examples of how the Black Farmer Fund assists farmers. [0:08:12]

• How the Black Farmer Fund raises funds and sources investors. [0:11:44]

• Olivia’s vision for change in the next five to ten years. [0:14:30]

• How BFF’s governance structure differs from the traditional hierarchical structure. [0:20:55]

• The new fund BFF is launching and how to learn more about it. [0:27:22]

• How to support BFF in its work, materially and immaterially. [0:29:47]

• Olivia’s regenerative food system and the land that she stewards. [0:32:28]

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Tweetables:

“We were really thinking about the question of how we can create a financial institution that people can trust.” — Olivia Watkins [0:03:36]

“It was really clear that we needed to focus our attention and effort on being able to close that racial wealth gap.” — Olivia Watkins [0:06:45]

“It takes a village to make this work happen.” — Olivia Watkins [0:08:07]

“The most exciting part of the work [has been] making space for farmers to connect with one another and build a relationship with one another.” — Olivia Watkins [0:09:36]

“We’re trying to be able to figure out the most impactful ways that we can shift power.” — Olivia Watkins [0:24:59]

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Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Black Farmer Fund: https://www.blackfarmerfund.org/

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders: https://www.agandfoodfunders.org/

Soul Fire Farm Institute: https://www.soulfirefarm.org/

Kahumana Organic Farms: https://www.kahumana.org/

Olivia Watkins Forbes Profile: https://www.forbes.com/profile/olivia-watkins/

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