Iowa Farmers of Color Conference Returns For Its Third Year

The event gathers farmers of color from Iowa and beyond to learn the latest on agricultural news and tips from peers.

This article was originally published in Black Iowa News in November 2025.

Iowa Farmers of Color Conference. Photo Courtesy of Todd Western III.

On Dec. 6, farmers of color from all over Iowa and the Midwest will travel to Ames to attend the Iowa Farmers of Color Conference, an annual event where farmers have the opportunity to network, attend panels and learn from each other.

According to the 2017 agricultural census, there are 72 Black farmers in Iowa. Iowa has 142,950 white farmers. This is part of a broad decline in Black farm ownership, which has been occurring for decades. During the 20th century, Black farmers in the U.S. lost nearly 90% of their land, and the number of Black farmers declined by 98%, furthering the racial gap in the country’s agricultural industry. From discriminatory loan servicing to loan denial by white-controlled federal committees, Black farmers lost their land, crops and wealth due to systemic racism.

Due to the need for unity and community, Todd Western III, along with Shaffer Ridgeway, founded the conference in 2021. This group, meant to connect farmers of color in the Midwest with the purpose of empowerment and improving the agricultural sector in the state, led to the creation of the yearly Iowa Farmers of Color Conference, which began in 2023. Western III, who owns farmland in Mahaska and Blackhawk counties in Iowa, says that this event has helped farmers immensely.

“There are three reasons for this conference,” Western III, said. “Number one is to build community and a network. The second is to bridge the gap between state agencies and the farmers. Number three is so that we can increase [farmers’] revenue and decrease some of [their] costs.”

Since the beginning of this yearly conference, the number of attendees has increased. According to Western III, the first year they had under 100, followed by 150 to 160 the year after.

This year, the organizers hope for 200 attendees. 

From tips and tricks on how to handle crops under bad weather conditions to advocating for themselves alongside state agencies, farmers gain valuable knowledge about the industry by meeting others at this event. Ridgeway, a farmer in Waterloo and district conservationist in Blackhawk County, emphasized the importance of networking.

“The social aspect [of the conference] is very important,” Ridgeway says. “[When attendees] walk away from the event, it is important to us that people walk away with tangible information. At the end of the day, community is what really helps you learn and be able to find support.”

Recurring attendees, like Lori James, said the community they gained has aided them immensely in the agricultural industry. James, who has been attending since the very first conference, says that every year, she is able to learn something new from organizers, speakers and attendees alike.

“I think it is important to know that there are people like us in this industry,” James says. “It’s about having everybody together to ask questions and depend on them to get information. So when you go there every year, you learn something different, something new.”

With attendance expected to grow again this year, the Iowa Farmers of Color Conference will continue its mission to educate offer resources for farmers of color across Iowa and beyond. This year’s conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 6 the Harvest Vineyard Church in Ames. Registration ends Nov. 21.