From the gridiron to the grain field, America is witnessing a compelling new agricultural wave driven by elite athletes. Jason Brown, former NFL center, followed his faith and a sense of mission to build a 1,000-acre faith-based "agriministry" in North Carolina. Since retiring in 2011, he's donated 1.5million pounds of produce-sweet potatoes, blueberries, and more-to food banks, turning his farm into a purpose-driven hub for community nourishment.

Brown's journey into farming, born from a spiritual calling and a cost of loss, mirrors a growing trend of athletes rooted in food security, legacy, and sustainable ag. Lacking farming background, he learned via YouTube and sheer determination-and weathered financial setbacks after his NFL bank mismanaged his earnings. Donations like tractors and volunteer gleaning networks kept First Fruits Farms alive, and Brown later regained his health through rigorous exercise and dietary discipline.

But Brown is far from alone.

Trent Brown, a current NFL offensive tackle, now tends 90 Brangus cattle, carrying on his grandfather's livestock legacy. Meanwhile, Mike and Maurkice Pouncey, former NFL linemen, manage a dude ranch breeding show horses.

Former NBA star Blake Griffin co-leads a $5million athlete-funded farmland investment across Iowa, signaling a new era of athlete-investors in American agriculture.

And in the west, Jake Plummer-ex-NFL quarterback raised on rural Idaho land-co-owns a mushroom farm near Denver, championing adaptogenic fungi like reishi and lion's mane.

Breaking Ground: Women & Organic Poultry

Jewell Loyd, Olympic gold medalist and WNBA standout nicknamed "Gold Mamba," is emerging as a female Black farmer in Minnesota. Through a family-acquired organic wheat, corn, and soy operation, Loyd is fighting agricultural inequality and preserving generational land wealth.

In Texas, Von Miller, Buffalo Bills linebacker, has built Greener Pastures, a USDA-certified organic chicken farm. With premium, non-GMO broilers raised in air-conditioned coops, Miller now supplies high-end grocers and aims for a national rollout. His undertaking is a powerful fusion of athlete branding, passion, and high-growth agribusiness.

Why This Matters for U.S. Ag

Diversification of the farm bill narrative: athletes offer fresh investment and visibility to supply chain modernization, crop insurance, and precision agriculture.

Reviving Black land ownership: Black farmers today represent under 2% of U.S. producers, a legacy of enduring discrimination that deprived Black families of an estimated $326billion in farm equity. Athletes like Loyd and Brown are beginning the slow reversal of that loss.

Sustainable and community-oriented models: From agronomist-trained poultry science majors to faith-based gleaning crews, these operators bridge social mission with agro-economic viability.

Career pathways beyond pro sports: With only ~1% of high school players turning pro, athletes are highlighting farming as a lifelong, rewarding profession-not just a retirement hobby.

Implications for Stakeholders

Farmers and co-ops can partner with athlete-led farms for ag innovation pilots and increase their outreach.

Agribusiness investors see untapped synergy in athlete-equity agricultural ventures.

Policy makers must modernize programs to support organic poultry, small-acreage grains, and community-scale produce operations.

Community educators should spotlight these stories in school programs, showcasing farming as both purpose and profession.