Target Partners With Black-Owned Farm as It Recognizes Black History Month

Target has partnered with Bridgeforth Farms, one of the 1.5% of U.S. farms that are Black-owned, as part of its commitment to spend $2B by the end of 2025 with Black-owned businesses. Bridgeforth Farms’ sustainably grown cotton will go into the production of a selection of exclusive Black History Month T-shirts for the Minneapolis-based retailer.

“We all certainly take pride in what we do,” said Kyle Bridgeforth, co-owner and general partner of the Tanner, Ala.-based farm., in a video on the company’s website. “We're a part of a dwindling population; there's certainly not a lot of Black farmers. An industry where we're largely underrepresented, we've had a huge impact throughout the history of agriculture.”

Target’s new initiative combines their diversity and inclusion efforts with a strategy that is focused on sustainable farming practices. At Bridgeforth, farmers use drip irrigation, a sustainable and efficient way to water crops that saves up to 80% more water than conventional irrigation. Bridgeforth’s sustainable farming practices like these compliment Target’s approach around embracing companies and initiatives that have a positive impact on people and the planet.

“The Bridgeforth family is impassioned to create an everlasting and equitable future for communities, agriculture and the planet, so that the sixth generation of Bridgeforth farmers inherit a better world,” Target said on its website. “We admire this goal, and it’s not dissimilar to our Target Forward and REACH values of restoring natural systems, protecting the environment and driving opportunity and equity for our teams, partners and guests.”

This year for Black History Month, Target is celebrating its Black team members, as well as the Black designers, visionaries and entrepreneurs it partners with, like Bridgeforth, through a “Black Beyond Measure” marketing campaign. This initiative includes everything in-store from apparel and accessories to stationery, decorative home, beauty, books, food and beverage, music, toys and more.