Mississippi farmer Curtis Snell Jr. takes a moment to look over his land and livestock. In this rural community, an acre of land is more than just a measurement; it is a symbol of a farmer’s legacy, a commitment of time and hard work and a promise of a secure future.
"I want to leave something for my family and help feed more people in my community," said Curtis.
In 1976, Curtis looked at this farm with hope, dreaming of one day owning it. Thirty years later, he purchased the land — and that dream became a reality.
Ownership of land and property has always been a pathway to prosperity in America. But owning the land was just the first step of his vision. To truly thrive, Curtis needed more — more knowledge, infrastructure and access to resources. He also needed connections with others passionate about agriculture who could share their expertise.
Making a living as a small-scale farmer in the U.S. is challenging, especially for Black farmers. A long history of discrimination by the USDA made it harder for them to acquire loans and assistance. This legacy translates into ongoing struggles: financial strain, land loss and production issues due to climate change. Securing contracts and navigating land ownership amid complexities with inheritance of family-owned land further complicate matters.
Over the years these challenges have reinforced pronounced inequity in agriculture and Black communities. The number of Black-owned farms has plummeted by 98 percent over the past century, with devastating ripple effects on local economies and food security.
Heifer USA aims to help reverse this trend by partnering with historically marginalized farmers in Mississippi to access infrastructure, training, processing and marketing assistance, and ultimately build a more equitable and resilient agricultural landscape.
Mississippi was selected as the location for a pastured pork project, the Mississippi Pastured Pork Project, because of the need in the community to support diverse farmers, like Curtis, who often lack access to major connections to the food system, such as processing facilities and markets.
"They came in to assist me directly on the ground, helping get things done — things I had no idea how to do but knew were necessary," Curtis said. After nearly four years collecting knowledge through the project, Curtis has become a leader himself, involved in three cooperatives and sharing his expertise with other Mississippi pork farmers and anyone interested in entering the field. He welcomes visitors to his farm and offers any help he can.
"I'm more than happy to share my experience with other farmers," Curtis said. "Their success is my success."
Despite the long history of adversity faced by farmers in the region, he, like other leaders in the community, is committed to building a better future.
“It is what it is," said Orlando Trainer, president of the Unlimited Community Agricultural Cooperative (UCAC), a farmers’ cooperative in the Starkville and Sturgis areas of Mississippi. “That doesn’t mean [the history] isn’t important, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to move forward in a sustainable way. We’ve got to make sure we are building on a firm foundation. “
As head of the UCAC, Orlando guides farmers through the complex landscape of available government resources. He connects farmers with each other and facilitates access to valuable programs. In fact, Orlando played a key role in connecting Curtis with Heifer USA and the Mississippi Pastured Pork Project.
The UCAC focuses on training, hosting conferences and field visits, encouraging farmers to implement what they’ve learned and work together to prevent discouragement. "We advocate for continuous learning and application," explained Orlando. "Don't wait for things to come to you. Take charge of your destiny! There are so many resources out there — that's why we call ourselves 'unlimited.'”
Curtis and Orlando are among the dedicated individuals and groups working tirelessly to
revitalize small farms in rural Mississippi and bring fresh, nutritious food to their communities. Together, they teach, encourage and inspire, offering hope for economic success, better health and a deep respect for the land — values instilled in generations of farmers past and carried forward by the enduring spirit of agriculture.
Heifer USA is proud to partner in this effort, with the Mississippi Pastured Pork Project dedicated to supporting agricultural cooperatives to develop and sustain a pastured pork value chain within the state. This will ensure every step of the process — from feed supply and pig farrowing to farming, processing, distribution and markets — remains within Mississippi, enabling farmers to increase their earnings and generating economic and food security benefits for entire communities.
Heifer USA’s work with small-scale farmers is expanding beyond pastured pork. Over the next three to five years we will provide technical assistance to a variety of livestock and produce farmers through a Wallace Center Grant and a USDA Climate-Smart Grant.
With support from Heifer USA, one farmer is establishing himself as the first pastured pork producer in Mississippi — and transforming his land...
