CFSCT August Fellows Series: Advancing Wholesale Market Access: How Does Technical Assistance Support Black, Hispanic, and Tribal Producers
August 27, 2025 12:00 - 1:00 pm ET
Black, Hispanic, and Tribal agricultural producers in the U.S. face major barriers in accessing wholesale markets, despite rising demand for local food. These underserved producers often lack the financial and technical resources needed to scale operations. Historical discrimination has led to reduced land ownership, limited access to support services, and lower productivity. Though USDA programs aim to support them, little research identifies their specific technical assistance needs for wholesale access. A USDA-funded project led by Virginia Tech, Illinois Tech, and USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service addresses this gap. The team will share the findings from this study in this presentation.
Register for the Zoom presentation here.
Presenters:
- Pratyoosh Kashyap, Research Scientist, Virginia Tech
Justin McEldery, Design Fellow, Illinois Tech
Kim Niewolny, Professor, Virginia Tech
Weslynne Ashton, Professor, Illinois Tech
Recording:
Virginia Cooperative Extension is a partnership of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments. Its programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, military status, or any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please email Lia Kelinsky-Jones or call (540) 231-1534 during regular business hours at least 10 days prior to the event. Email Lia with any questions or concerns.