PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Minority owned farms are quickly becoming a thing of the past. According to the U.S. Agriculture Department, black farmers make up only 1.4 percent of the total in the United States. This year, a partnership between a local foodbank and a local farmer is doing more than preserving a way of life. Chris Tan, the CEO of The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore reached out to Franklin farmer and pastor Elisha Barnes, on a handshake deal that is now putting fresh produce on the table and feeding both mind and spirit of those in need in Southampton County.
