LONDON, Ohio – Childcare isn’t just a concern for urbanites.

Shoshanah Inwood, an associate professor of community, food and economic development in Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) has spent the last 10 years building a national reputation related to the issue of rural childcare. In surveys taken, Shoshanah has discovered that many farmers say lack of childcare has been the primary impediment to growing their farm.

And the issue is not just an Ohio one. Inwood collected data for the 2023 National Farm Families Childcare Survey, along with co-author Florence Becot, from Pennsylvania State University. They surveyed farm and ranch families in 47 states. They found that nationally, 74 percent of farm families experienced childcare challenges within the last five years. These challenges were attributed to cost and availability, followed by distance to and quality of childcare.

“Access to affordable childcare is tied to keeping children safe, farm viability, and economy development,” Inwood said.

Inwood will staff an in-person childcare photovoice exhibit at this year FSR to prompt discussion around this important topic. Photovoice is a research method where participants take photographs to document their experiences and perspectives on a specific topic, allowing them to share their stories and concerns through images, often accompanied by written narratives, with the goal of initiating dialogue and potentially leading to social change within a community. 

 She will share her Rural Childcare Research Data from the National Farm Families Childcare Survey in the Firebaugh Building, 384 Friday Ave. There Inwood will reveal all challenges in rural areas for families needing childcare and will talk about government policy discussions regarding this topic. 

The United States has a childcare crisis, yet the issue remains largely invisible in the farm sector. For too long, the nation has ignored the fact that farm parents are working parents who must juggle childcare while working what can be one of the most dangerous and stressful jobs in America.

Kerissa and Charlie Payne are relatively new farmers living their dream of raising two daughters on a farm in central Ohio. By conventional measures, their livestock farm, Covey Rise, is a success. Yet, below the surface, the challenge of finding quality affordable childcare has kept their business from growing and reaching its full potential.

“It feels like we’re always split between keeping the kids safe on the farm, being a good parent, and the needs of the farm,” Kerissa said.

The Paynes are not alone. Additional findings from the 2023 national survey showed that eight in 10 farm families reported that someone in their household has felt more stress and anxiety since the arrival of the children. Eight in 10 farm families take care of children on the active farm worksite due to the lack of alternative children (paid or unpaid) options. And nine of 10 families are concerned that their children could get hurt on the farm.

“Childcare is a definite national agricultural policy issue,” Inwood said.

Inwood has worked to get it added into the 2024 Farm Bill. She has testified before Congress and has worked with various committees to have childcare recognized as an important issue in rural America. For the first time, the nation’s largest farm organizations (American Farm Bureau and the National Farmers Union) included childcare in their policy priorities for the federal farm bill. The current House version of farm bill does include childcare provisions in the Rural Development Title.

“Over the past 10 years, we have interviewed and surveyed thousands of farmers across the country to understand how child care affects farm business economic viability, farm safety, farm families’ quality of life and the future of the nation’s food supply,” Inwood said. “What we found debunks the three most common myths that have kept child care in the shadows of farm policy debates and points to solutions that can support farm parents.”

The first myth, Inwood said, is that “childcare is not a problem in the farm sector.”

“Nationally, three-quarters of farm families with children under 18 report difficulties securing childcare because of lack of affordability, availability or quality,” Inwood said. “Almost half report that having access to affordable childcare is important for maintaining and growing their farm business. Our research found that childcare is an issue that affects all of agriculture, regardless of farm size, production system or location.”

The second myth Inwood found is that “farmers don’t want or need help with child care because they have family help.”

“This is perhaps one of the biggest myths we’ve heard,” Inwood said. “This might work if relatives are nearby, but almost half of farmers we surveyed said their own parents were too busy to help with childcare, had died or were in declining health.”

Inwood said farm parents often have had to move away from family and friends to find affordable land. These parents consistently said the lack of community made it harder to take care of their children.

The third myth, Inwood said, is that “children can just come along when doing farm work.”

“While wonderful places to grow up, farms can be dangerous, with large equipment, electric fencing, large animals, ponds and other potential hazards,” Inwood said. “Every day, 33 children are seriously injured in agricultural-related incidents, and every three days a child dies on a farm. Ninety-seven percent of parents have worried that their children could get hurt on the farm. Nearly 86 percent say they sometimes bring children to the farm worksite because they lack other options.”