Building Rural Resiliency and Food Justice with Mark Watson

12/04/24 • 51 min

Today’s guest is proving that financial models can prioritize the well-being of farmers and the resilience of our food systems—not just financial returns. Mark Watson, president and chief investment officer of Potlikker Capital, leads a fund dedicated to supporting BIPOC farmers in the U.S. who operate at the intersection of racial and climate justice.

Drawing from his extensive background in conventional finance, Mark sheds light on why our current economic systems fail small farmers—and how Potlikker is pioneering a blended approach to overcome these challenges.

How can rural BIPOC farmers thrive in an industrialized, consolidated food system? Mark is helping to chart the path forward.

In this episode, we cover:

Mark’s journey from traditional finance to seeing the need for a new kind of financing for rural BIPOC farmers.
Potlikker Capital’s strategy for building a networked, resilient food system with an emphasis on supporting farmers of color.
The revolutionary power of de-centering financial returns from the investment process.
How they’ve structured their organization to invest wisely.
How to engage the broader investment community in food and racial justice work.
And much more...

More about Mark and Potlikker Capital:

Mark Watson is the President and Chief Investment Officer of Potlikker Capital. Previously, his impactful tenure as Managing Director of the Fair Food Fund mobilized catalytic capital to enhance community access to healthy food and promote local ownership in food production and distribution, always with a focus on social equity.

In addition, Mark founded Keel Asset Management LLC, a pioneering financial advisory firm dedicated to providing socially responsible investment solutions to nonprofits and public and corporate pension plans. His career began in commercial banking at the First National Bank of Chicago (now JP Morgan Chase), where he amassed over 30 years of experience managing investment portfolios for foundations, endowments, and institutional pension funds.

Notably, Mark co-designed and launched the Boston Impact Initiative Fund, an integrated racial justice capital fund that successfully deployed capital to over 30 small businesses. He continues to contribute his expertise as an investment committee member for the Fund.

He serves as an advisory board member of MIT/Health Innovation Systems Inc., Director of Transition at The Institute of Educational Leadership, board president of Sustainable Cape, Inc., and was previously a board member of the Social Venture Network.

Agrarian Futures is produced by Alexandre Miller, who also wrote our theme song. This episode was edited by Drew O’Doherty.

How can rural BIPOC farmers thrive in an industrialized, consolidated food system? Mark is helping to chart the path forward.

In this episode, we cover:

Mark’s journey from traditional finance to seeing the need for a new kind of financing for rural BIPOC farmers.
Potlikker Capital’s strategy for building a networked, resilient food system with an emphasis on supporting farmers of color.
The revolutionary power of de-centering financial returns from the investment process.
How they’ve structured their organization to invest wisely.
How to engage the broader investment community in food and racial justice work.
And much more...

More about Mark and Potlikker Capital:

Agrarian Futures is produced by Alexandre Miller, who also wrote our theme song. This episode was edited by Drew O’Doherty.

Previous Episode

Empowering Farmers with Regen Media with Taylor Henry

Register for the Acres USA conference coming up on December 2-5, 2024. And if you can’t make those dates or its already passed, you can purchase the event recordings as well!

Can a digital bookstore and learning community reshape the world of farming? On our latest episode Taylor Henry, owner of Acres USA, makes a compelling case. He takes us through his journey into regenerative agriculture, sparked by Acres USA's rich catalogue. Taylor shares how Acres USA is redefining what it means to learn the craft of farming, offering an education that could rival, and even surpass, the traditional university path.

We also dive into the upcoming Acres USA conference, where leaders and learners come together to inspire, innovate, and transform the future of agriculture. Taylor explains why it’s essential for farmers to see themselves as entrepreneurs and how Acres USA equips them to do just that.

In this episode, we cover:

How Acres USA’s bookstore sparked Taylor’s journey into regenerative farming.
The history of Acres USA and its role in pushing forward organic and regenerative ag.
How they’re marrying archival and historical knowledge, with the latest thinking in regards to agriculture.
Why Taylor believes the offerings of Acres USA can rival the traditional university system when it comes to learning the business of regenerative farming.
Why farmers need to see themselves as entrepreneurs.
What’s in store at the upcoming Acres USA conference where leaders in the field will be sharing insights and regenerative farmers can gather to learn from each other.
Some exciting innovations that can showcase the health benefits of regeneratively grown beef.
And much more...

Register for the Acres USA conference

More about Taylor, Acres USA, and the Acres USA Podcast:

Taylor Henry is the owner and CEO of Acres USA, which he acquired in 2023. He is also the visionary behind Henry Pastures, a regenerative farm in Wisconsin. Originally setting aside his farming dreams, Taylor’s journey began in law enforcement and later led him into entrepreneurship. Eventually, he returned to his passion by establishing Henry Pastures, a 200-acre regenerative farming operation dedicated to holistic land management and sustainable practices. Taylor also works in real estate, helping others pursue land ownership with a focus on regenerative agriculture.

Agrarian Futures is produced by Alexandre Miller of You Should Have a Podcast, who also wrote our theme song. This episode was edited by Keith J. Nelson.

Next Episode

Living Without Fossil Fuels with Alexis Zeigler

It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of climate change, but where can we find models for living in harmony with the planet—before it’s too late? Alexis Zeigler and the community at Living Energy Farm are doing just that: building a self-sustaining, non-extractive way of life and sharing their knowledge with others.

Alexis brings a unique blend of practical, technical expertise and a deep philosophical vision for restoring our spiritual connection to nature—and to one another. These themes are at the heart of this show. If you’re seeking grounded hope and a climate-resilient model for living, we think you’ll find this conversation inspiring.

In this episode, we cover:

Living Energy Farm’s mission to live without reliance on fossil fuels or grid electricity and how that works in practice.
The limitations of climate change mitigation strategies that rely on just converting consumer products into something more sustainable.
The sacrifices they make to live self-sufficiently, and how its less than what you might think.
The core tenets necessary to live this way.
The benefits of living intentionally and in community vs a life focused on private property.
And much more...

More about Alexis and Living Energy Farm:

Alexis Zeigler is an author, activist, designer and builder of renewable energy systems. He was raised on small, diversified farm in Georgia. He is the primary designer of Living Energy Farm, a community of 10 people that grows most of its food and provides all of its own domestic energy. Alexis has a passion for growing food on trees, and is particularly devoted to persimmons. His books include Integrated Activism, which discusses the links between ecological change and politics, as well as Empowering Communities, which describes how to build food and energy independent communities.

Agrarian Futures is produced by Alexandre Miller, who also wrote our theme song. This episode was edited by Keith J. Nelson, Alexandre Miller, and Drew O’Doherty.