The National Women in Agriculture Association wants to become a “pilot program” to 4-H
An organization representing female farmers in the United States wants to meet with President Trump or members of his team.
The National Women in Agriculture Association (NWIAA), which is the largest ag organization for women in the world, wants to ensure the opinions of female farmers and rural women are heard.
“We want to make sure that women in ag have an actual voice in this administration, which they did not have in the Biden administration,” Dr. Tammy Gray-Steele, a fourth-generation Oklahoma farmer and the founder of the NWIAA, told Farms.com.
Dr. Steele founded the NWIAA in February 2008 on the principle that rural women and especially minority women, have been neglected. And the lack of resources has hindered rural development across the country.
The NWIAA now has more than 80 chapters in the U.S., representing different agricultural sectors and rural communities
In its request to meet with the president, the organization specifically mentioned discussing “issues affecting American women and children in agriculture.”
One of those issues is ensuring all kids have a chance to participate in FFA or 4-H programming.
NWIAA is well positioned to support this effort because of its presence around the country, Dr. Steele said.
“We can make this happen because we have chapters all over the place,” she said. “We want to become a pilot program to 4-H or FFA for at risk youth. Our women would be in the chapters leading the programming. And for our chapters to be in compliance with our organization, they must have a program for children.”
NWIAA chapters across the U.S. have programs for pregnant women all the way to 18-year-olds.
In Dr. Steele’s case, for pregnant women she introduces them to USDA programs and food support services.
Another program is a garden for kids as young as six to plant their own fruits and vegetables.
“We know kids like to put things in their mouths,” she said. “So lets have them eat and taste the things they’ve grown themselves.”
NWIAA also runs Hip-Hop Producers for young men and Junior Agriculture Diva Education (JADE) for young women.
These programs help participants learn about food production and community involvement while also providing structure to those who need it.
“We see ourselves as a solution to several poverty issues,” Dr. Gray-Steele said. “We can help save our at-risk youth from incarceration, we can support economic development, and we can address food desert issues. We can also act as a bridge to colleges because students have to keep a certain grade point average to work in our programs.”
The NWIAA has received responses from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ office.
She appears receptive to the idea of meeting with the organization, Dr. Steele said.
The NWIAA has multiple events planned in Washington D.C., later this month.
On March 25, for example, the organization will participate in a congressional panel hearing for the first Women in Agriculture Bill for set aside resources specifically for women farmers.
“We see this as sustainable,” she Dr. Steele said. “We’re creating the next generation of farmers, literally and figuratively.”
Dr. Steele is asking Americans to contact their representatives and encourage them to support the organization’s request to meet with President Trump and his administration.