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Southern Alternatives Agricultural Co-op (Pecans) |
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Southwest Georgia, USA
The challenges facing small farmers in the US are even more severe for African Americans. In 1920, 1 in 7 farmers were black; by 1998, just 1 in 100. In this context, the members of SAAC have endured, preserving opportunity for farmers and workers in rural Georgia. A group of devoted women in the community kept the operation alive for years when it was difficult to find a committed buyer for their products.
The idea of a partnership among Equal Exchange, SAAC and the Federation of Southern Co-operatives (FOSC) began with an exchange of stories, goals and dreams. A grant from Equal Exchange and additional support from Oxfam America helped to refurbish equipment. FOSC's SW Georgia office, the Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education and the Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative provided crucial organizational assistance to SAAC, while Equal Exchange supplied business, financial and marketing support.
Thanks to an extraordinary amount of collaboration, trust and faith, the first shipment of pecans left SAAC's warehouse in Georgia in the Fall of 2006, destined for Equal Exchange customers across the country. Southern Alternatives is Equal Exchange's first trading partner for pecans. We use a blend of Schley, Stewart and Van Deman varieties in our tasty Roasted Pecans
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Bobby & Diann Johnson of SAAC |
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