On Friday, July 22, Iowa 1st District Congresswoman Ashley Hinson visited with members of the Tama County chapter of Women, Land & Legacy (WLL) on a farm near Traer. The event was held as a bit of an outdoor roundtable discussion, which allowed for everyone present to bounce ideas off of each other and learn together. Hinson said the discussion wasn?t just limited to standard farm topics like crop rotations- they also covered some more overlooked topics, like taxes and rent payments.
Regardless of whether or not these women are the main farmer for their operation, there?s plenty of information to be shared around, and that wealth of knowledge will only grow as the organization expands further. Hinson said the meetings have spread to even more counties, and the numbers at each meeting are ticking upwards too.
These meetings take place just about anywhere- farms, community buildings, etc. Hinson stressed that these programs are all about spreading this information to more and more women within the industry, which will only make it stronger as a whole.
Many women find themselves in a tough spot when a parent or spouse passes away and they suddenly have an entire farm to manage. Others may just want to be more involved with the farm in general. Hinson said that, by continuing these discussions and expanding their reach, they can help alleviate some of the stress from situations like that.
WLL is a locally driven leadership and input organization comprised of mostly women, but men are also welcome. Chapter events address a diverse range of agricultural topics including beekeeping, money management, estates, land ownership and leasing, legal advice, taxes, organic agriculture, soil and water conservation, livestock care, and other important agricultural topics. The Tama County chapter has more than 20 active members who participate in roundtable discussions. Following each discussion, participants take a survey meant to help guide the planning of future events. This month?s gathering will address pollinators.
For more information, visit https://womenlandandlegacy.org/.
