Alcorn State University, the historically Black educational institution in Mississippi, recently opened the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center. The Center’s mission is to make policy recommendations that will improve the success of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers by implementing a transparent management structure that focuses on research, stakeholder engagement and outreach.
Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson spoke at the opening of the center. He said “this is a significant opportunity for Alcorn because you now have a place you can call about public policy. Public policy is the foundation by which you get things done. This is an exciting opportunity because it caters to the small farmers.”
The new center is under the direction of Eloris Speight. She stated that “we have prioritized our research areas for the next couple of years. Those areas are in analysis of current agricultural policies and indications of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.”
