Engaging Non-operator Women Farmland Owners in Agricultural Conservation Jennifer Filipiak, Natural Resources Coordinator

Illinois Soybean Association Sustainability Showcase August 7, 2014

American Farmland Trust

Founded in 1980

National nonprofit organization

Saves the land that sustains us by:

Protecting farm and ranch land

Promoting sound farming practices

Keeping farmers on the land

Today’s agenda…

• Stats on farmland ownership

• Women farmland owners • Women Food and

Agriculture Network and Women Caring for the Land

• Progress in Illinois • Expanding women

landowner outreach

USDA Ag Census - 2012

73% of Illinois is farmland

48% is leased (87% in central IL!)

~6 Million acres have a female owner (22%)

~800,000 acres have a female operator (3%)

Non-operator Landowners own 42% of U.S. farmland (1999 Agricultural Economics and Land Ownership Survey)

©A

Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll

Women farmland owners in Iowa Women farmland owners older than men

(61% vs 51% are 65+)

32% owned by widows, increasing

41% under professional farm management

More women than men are likely to own

land for “family or sentimental reasons” (as

opposed to long-term investment or

income)

77% lease via cash rent

From Farmland Ownership and Tenure in Iowa, 2007 by Duffy & Smith

AFT’s Interest Women NOLs that lease a large % of ag land they own.

Hi value on conservation and keeping land in farming

Infrequent interaction with resource management agencies

Lack knowledge of opportunities & familiarity with culture

Fewer conservation practices on leased land

Fast growing demographic – different needs – new clients

Important priority for reaching under treated acres for water quality/soil health, obtaining ag easements and transitioning land to next generation.

Learning Circles

Peer-to-peer learning, acknowledges women as the experts & decision makers on their own land.

Conservation staff (women) participate in discussion – no hierarchy, no lectures

Meetings without men for first part of the day

(after a meal) Farm visits to see practices on the ground and discuss with farmer and staff

Outcomes for Women Clearer idea of what they want from their farm in

terms of conservation and production

Be more comfortable discussing conservation & management issues with renters, other landowners and agricultural agency staff.

Establish a network of their peers for on-going learning and support

More familiar with conservation options & programs.

60% move forward with conservation planning and implementation in 1 year.

Excluding men?

How do I tell my farmer that I’m concerned that my

soil isn’t alive anymore?

I feel like there is some kind of secret society I don’t belong to

with an alphabet soup of acronyms

My dad taught me that if you

take care of the land it will take

care of you

I have to remind my advisors that I am the landowner, not

my husband

I realized today that I am not

alone.

My husband died last month and I don’t know

where to start…

I had to become the bitch of the neighborhood for a while to get my tenant to fix some problems I saw in the fields

Learning Circles in Illinois

8 meetings so far, 2

more scheduled

WFAN CIG: 3

meetings/year

We want to get to

southern Illinois!

(Call me!) 2012 2013 2014

Healthy soil resonates:

“sweet” “alive”

Legacy – leave better

than I found it

Landowner/tenant

relationship; leasing

Wetlands, wildlife,

bees

No stupid questions

Common themes

©AFT

Next steps, lessons learned

What happens after the first meeting?

Institutional framework

Integration with traditional outreach

Questions?