P. Wade Ross

As co-owner of Hoaganie Farm Products, a cattle and grass farming operation just outside of College Station, TX, P. Wade Ross is a fourth generation farmer, on land that has been in his been in his family since the 1800’s.
P. Wade’s parents, W. Wade & Anita Ross, established the Texas Small Farmers & Ranchers Community-Based Organization in 1998. Previously serving as the organization’s Education Director, P. Wade accepted the role of Chief Executive the wake of the pandemic shut down, to help keep the mission of serving Black Farmers moving forward into the “connected age”.
Recognized around the state of Texas as a voice and change agent for small farmers of color, Mr. Ross serves on numerous boards, coalitions, and collaboratives throughout the South. This includes recently being selected to serve East Texas in the newly formulated Delta Regional Food Business Center.
In the past year, P. Wade has been featured in articles by CNN, The Dallas Morning News, Wall Street Journal, and The Austin Chronicle around the important subject of racial equity and social justice.
From their massive past efforts, Texas Small Farmers & Ranchers/ CBO is credited by many for the large number of census responses from black farmers–it is said to be unprecedented in the history of census of Texas. In 2012, his father and organization founder W. Wade Ross, received USDA’s Secretary’s Honor Award “for forging partnerships and other entities leading to changes that promote sustainability”.

Plenary Speaker

A Rising Tide Raises All Boats

In this brief presentation, P. Wade Ross will share his family journeys since acquisition of their family land in the late 1800’s, their families, separation and return to the land, recent struggles and conflict within their family farm and within their organization around the topic of regenerative ag and adopting climate smart practices, the state of Black Farmers, and solutions to move the economic needle to benefit all.