UCAC’s 10th Save Rural America Conference

Thursday 23 January 2025

Written by Pamela Obryant

When I arrived at the conference, the people were fellowshipping with each other. The Unlimited Community Agricultural Cooperative (UCAC) team was getting everything together as the people came in. Orlando Trainer, the UCAC president, called the conference to order. Mr. Trainer started by giving thanks to God and thanks to Mr. Frank Taylor for sponsoring their annual Save Rural America Conferences (SRAC).  Today was their 10th SRAC. Orlando then asked Mr. John Jones, a partner of UCAC, to speak. Mr. Jones talked about the 1890 scholarship for students who plan to attend college. 

Next, Orlando asked Mrs. Carloyn Jones, President of the Mississippi Minority Farmer’s Alliance (MMFA), to speak. She thanked Mr. Frank Taylor for giving their organization $500.00 to start. She told the audience about their conference on January 18, 2025. 

As the program continued, NRCS/USDA staff members, Rosalyn Bethea from the Tennie Agriculture Group LLC, Russell & Jewell Bean with B.E.A.N Foundation, and Freddie Davis, Director of Rural Training Research Center, Federation of Southern Cooperative, spoke on the programs, and resources they offer. 

Ms. Marie Mc Gruder, who owns McGruder Farms in Alabama, really interested me. She told the audience she was a city girl who wasn’t interested in her family land. One summer, she came for a visit and fell in love with the land; she bought 4 acres of land and started farming. She is the CFO; she has an LLC and 501(c)(3). Her heart is to take care of the babies and the elderly. Her Motto is “PUT SKIN IN. YOU WILL GET STEAK OUT!”  

The conference offered a wealth of information from the different agencies, cooperatives, programs, and services in every area of agriculture. 

To Mr. Frank Taylor: Your love of people, the agricultural community, and the world demonstrates your commitment to empowering others with knowledge, resources, and wisdom to create positive change. Together, we are saving rural America, one step at a time.

Click here to view photos from this event.

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