Bill Lee, the Republican candidate for governor of Tennessee, met in Memphis on Monday with Thomas Burrell, founder and president of the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association (BFAA), and Bishop David A. Hall Sr., the group’s ecumenical support advisor.
The 45-minute meeting at BFAA’S corporate headquarters at 287 Madison Ave. provided a setting for Lee to convey his interest in making agriculture a better way of life for black farmers.
After the session, Lee tweeted this:
Enjoyed the opportunity to meet with Thomas Burrell and Bishop David Hall of the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association in Memphis today to talk about how we can engage our state’s youth in agriculture. Organizations like these make me #BelieveinTN! pic.twitter.com/RXIli61yVY
— Bill Lee (@BillLeeTN) September 17, 2018
The Memphis-based association represents more than 20,000 African-American farmers, landowners and heirs nationwide.”We will be meeting with both candidates for Tennessee governor to ask questions and hear what they have to offer black farmers,” Burrell said.
Hall said it is important to know where each candidate stands on the concerns of black farmers, tariffs, widespread broadband access in rural areas, and the rural agriculture community in Tennessee.
“We have no political agenda other than the reclamation of the black farmer,” Hall said. “Our concern is economic and practical for developing business and a more level playing field.”
