Victoria’s Secret has created a new partnership with a Black-owned cotton farm, Bridgeforth Farms, in north Alabama. The initiative is meant to advance diverse suppliers for the large retailer’s products and eliminate intermediaries to ensure farmers receive all proceeds from their crops, according to a press release.

Bridgeforth Farms is located in Tanner, Alabama, and has existed since 1887 with five generations running the family business. The company produces cotton, corn, canola, soybeans, wheat, and sorghum on 10,000 acres of land and works directly with several large corporate processors, like Target and Tyson. They’re one of the largest producers of cotton in Alabama.

According to Victoria’s Secret, the company purchases 50,000-65,000 bales of cotton per year. In the 2022 harvest, about 13 percent of the cotton was purchased directly from Alabama farm partners. They expect to double that number by the end of the 2023 harvest year.

In an annual report produced by Victoria’s Secret called, “Our Cotton Journey,” they said, “We acknowledge the painful history of slavery and recognize that the profitability of the U.S. cotton industry was built on the unpaid labor of enslaved Black people. Our dedication to shaping a new cotton supply chain is driven by our commitment to operating with respect and responsibility, while also fostering economic empowerment within the Black community.”

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, less than 1 percent of cotton farms in the U.S. are owned and operated by Black farmers.

Victoria’s Secret has also partnered with three other farms in Alabama that are owned by women: Martin Farm, Spruell Farms, and Blythe Cotton Co.

In “Our Cotton Journey,” the company mentioned that 57% of the cotton used for Modal panties, a type of panty fabric that’s highly absorbent, will come from their Alabama farm partners.

The partnership isn’t limited to just working with minority owned farms in Alabama. Victoria’s Secret and Bridgeforth Farms have created three-year scholarship and internship programs for Alabama A&M University and Tuskegee University students. Bridgeforth family members are alums of both universities. These educational programs equal a $150,000 investment into diverse agriculture students.