Capacity building for Black farmers in Alabama

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February 2, 2024

Workers harvest collard greens on John Brown's farm in Dallas County, Alabama. Brown, who raises vegetables on the same land his father purchased about 80 years ago, is one of seven farmers in the Black Farmers Initiative, formed by the Edmundite Missions in partnership with the Deep South Food Alliance. (Courtesy of John Brown)

Some religious orders enjoy near ubiquitous recognition — Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans — while others are known primarily by the local communities they serve. NCR staff reporter Aleja Hertzler-McCain reported on one such community this week — the Society of St. Edmund, or the Edmundites.

I had the pleasure of getting to know the Edmundite community when I lived in Vermont, where many of them live and work at Saint Michael's College in Colchester or at local parishes. I knew them to be an order particularly dedicated to justice issues, including a focus on care for creation. In 2017, the college co-hosted with the Diocese of Burlington a conference on "Action for Ecological Justice," and in 2022 the college invited as commencement speaker Dan Misleh, the founder and former executive director of the Catholic Climate Covenant.

Beyond Vermont, the Edmundites are present in Connecticut and Alabama.

Hertzler-McCain reported that since 1937, the Edmundites have been serving the rural community in Selma, Alabama, through what today has come to be known as the Edmundite Missions. In the past, Edmundite priests supported the civil rights movement with medical care for Black patients, including those who were beaten by police on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Today, they continue to address the interconnected issues of racism, injustice, poverty and poor health outcomes through their nutrition-focused programs, including the Black Farmers Initiative.

"I think what the Edmundites are doing with their initiative is a model that would help the small Black farmer stay in the game," said Andrew Williams, CEO of the Deep South Food Alliance, which partners with the Edmundite Missions on the Black Farmers Initiative.

Learn more about the Edmundite's work and their partners in Selma in this May 2023 report from Dan Stockman for Global Sisters Report: With the help of 4 sisters, Edmundite Missions works to improve lives in Selma, Alabama.

What else is new on EarthBeat:

Church urges environmental discussion amid record drought in Amazon

by Eduardo Campos Lima

Brazil's 2023 drought affected more than 600,000 people and killed threatened species. Some say the emergency highlights the need for awareness on environmental themes through biblical-ecological education.

France's Catholic bishops strongly back farmers in their massive protest

by Caroline de Sury, OSV News

While trying to increase food production and yet reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment, the farmers are faced with rising costs, including soaring energy prices. They feel they are being unfairly accused of going against ecological concerns by the European Union.

Across the country, houses of worship are going solar

by Izzy Ross, Grist

A federal rule makes it easier for churches, synagogues and mosques to put solar panels on the roof. As of 2021, about 2% of houses of worship in the United States have solar systems. That's disproportionately high; houses of worship make up only 0.6% of all non-residential buildings.

What's happening in other climate news:

Understanding Biden's LNG decision —Emily Atkin for HEATED

Extraction of raw materials to rise by 60% by 2060, says UN report —Arthur Neslen for The Guardian

Concerned about climate change, more Chicagoans are buying all-electric home heating systems —Nara Shoenberg for the Chicago Tribune

In Ithaca, Climate Change Is Making Gentrification Worse —Meher Bhatia for The Nation

Hungry sea otters are helping save California's marshlands from erosion —Christina Larson for The Associated Press

Final Beat:

From the archives: One year ago, on Feb. 4, 2023, EarthBeat published an essay by Ray Levy Uyeda about Joy Harjo's poem "Redbird Love." We featured it again during the "Creature Feature" series in the fall, accompanied by this illustration from Ryan McQuade. Uyeda's essay ended up being one of our most-read stories of the year. Revisit it here: Joy Harjo's poem 'Redbird Love' teaches us to watch closely, see clearly

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Stephanie Clary
Environment Editor
National Catholic Reporter
sclary@ncronline.org
Instagram: @stephanieclaryncr