New Listening Session Results Provide Insights for Iowa Women Landowners

October 24, 2007

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Iowa, in cooperation with the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD), announce the availability of the publication Women, Land and Legacy ^sm : Results from the Listening Sessions. The publication documents the findings conducted by the Women, Land and Legacy (WLL)^sm outreach project of the USDA State Outreach Council.

WLL ^sm, which began in 2004, is an outreach project that brings Iowa farm women together at the local level to empower them to act on their landscapes and in their communities. Through WLL ^sm, existing and aspiring women farmland owners are forming local networks to gain access to resources, information, and education to assist them in making decisions about their land and farming. WLL ^sm listening and learning sessions have been and continue to be held in counties across Iowa to provide women a chance to meet with other women and resource providers.

Derryl McLaren, State Executive Director for Iowa’s FSA, says he is excited these results are being released.  “The farmland ownership study shows that women have decision making authority over a high percentage of Iowa farmland (47-54%). There is a need to communicate agricultural women’s strengths and needs and how farm service providers can respond more effectively,” he said.

Women, Land and Legacy ^sm: Results of the Listening Sessions provides information learned from WLL ^sm listening sessions that took place September 2004 through December 2006. 

Dr. Cornelia Flora, Director of the NCRCRD says, “This research documents women landowners’ multiple-dimension approach to their land.  Their concerns with the environment, community, and spirituality and their desire to balance it with financial stability, reveals the possibilities of more holistic approaches to land management and rural development.” 

According to Richard Van Klaveren, State Conservationist for NRCS the publication includes input from over 800 Iowa agricultural women.  “These women have shared their thoughts regarding their relationship to the land, their dreams and visions for Iowa’s land, resources that have been helpful to them, and what resources and actions are needed locally to assist them in making sound decisions based on their values for their land, their families, and their communities,” said Van Klaveren.

The WLL ^sm State Team, currently consisting of representatives of FSA, NRCS, National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC), and the NCRCRD, assist local WLL ^sm teams and Coordinators of Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) to conduct WLL ^sm activities in local counties. The state team develops guidance and support for the future development of WLL ^sm .

The publication clearly states data that will be useful for farm service providers to enhance and improve assistance to women farm customers based on their values, interests, and connections. Women, Land and Legacy ^sm :  Results of the Listening Sessions can be found at http://www.ncrcrd.iastate.edu/wll.html. Additional information about WLL ^sm can be found at http://www.womenlandandlegacy.org.

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