Women in Agriculture Act to address equal opportunities

U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-New Mexico, has introduced a bipartisan Women in Agriculture Act that would make sure women's agricultural opportunities and potential obstacles would be addressed within the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"The ideas that are in this act came from sitting down with ranchers and farmers in Roswell, in Lea County, in Curry County," Leger Fernandez said Tuesday in an interview, "so they're the ones who were explaining what they needed."

For example, Leger Fernandez said, "we do know that we need more childcare facilities in rural New Mexico. We need to make sure that men or women, ranchers and farmers are doing the important job of raising the food that we need for our families, and that they also know that their children are well cared for. We need it not just for the ranchers and farmers, but we need it to allow women to participate in the workforce."

Leger Fernández was joined by Republicans Rep. Jen Kiggans of Vriginia and Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico, and another Democrat, Chellie Pingree of Maine, to sponsor the bill.

According to a news release from Leger Fernandez' office, the bill would create a Women Farmers and Ranchers Liaison at the USDA, establish a research priority for agriculture machinery and equipment designed to be used by women, and prioritize funding for childcare facilities in rural areas.

"Women are strong, but we're not as big as the average man," Leger Fernandez said to explain the need for machinery and equipment designed for women to use.

The bill would be up for action most likely in September, according to Leger Fernandez. She believes it has a good chance of getting passed into law, she said. "Whether it's Republican or Democrat, everybody I've discussed this with has been very welcoming and have been willing to sign on."