By DAVE BLOWER JR.
Farm World Editor

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Dec. 10, 2009, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Ct.) introduced legislation designed to ensure that women farmers are eligible for the same benefits as their male counterparts.

The Equality for Women Farmers Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), said the legislation will prevent the USDA from discriminating against women farmers simply due to their gender.

“This is an issue of fundamental fairness – all farmers, regardless of their gender or ethnicity, should be judged on the merit of their applications for their loans,” DeLauro said while introducing her bill. “Years of discrimination and unnecessary hardship for these women, and all minorities, cannot be allowed to continue.

“It is time to do right by those that have been discriminated against in our past and present, to live up to our founding principles, and to legislate an end to this unfortunate and regrettable era.”

According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), there are 306,209 women principal farm operators in America. That is a 29 percent increase from the 2002 ag census figure of 237,819 women principal farm operators.

NASS reports that 14 percent of all U.S. farms are owned and operated by women. In all, the NASS estimated there are more than 2.2 million U.S. farmers.

Despite the growing number of U.S. women in agriculture, DeLauro claimed that an estimated 43,000 women farmers have been denied more than $4.6 billion in farm loans and loan servicing from USDA. At this point, DeLauro’s bill, also known as HB 4264, has been referred to the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary and the Committees on Agriculture and Ways and Means.
What’s in the bill?

DeLauro discussed her bill with the media prior to offering it to the U.S. House of Representatives. In that press conference, DeLauro brought six women farmers who she said have been discriminated against by the USDA.

“Sadly, the women who are with us today, and tens of thousands more across the country, have felt this routine discrimination firsthand,” DeLauro said at a press briefing. “Like male farmers, they have gone to local offices of the Farm Security Administration (FSA) to file loan applications and ask for this government’s help in sustaining their family farms. But there, the differences often end.

“Many women were told that money or applications had run out, even though men seemed to be finding them with no trouble at all. Others were told to return to the loan office with their fathers or husbands or brothers, so that the men could file the applications on their behalf. Still others were told that, ‘farming is not for women,’ or saw their application filed in the trash can right before their eyes.

“And some were even subjected to crude and horrible advances by loan administrators, who demanded sexual quid pro quo in return for approving their loans. This is simply not right, and it must end.”
DeLauro said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has agreed to investigate these claims and other similar civil rights issues at USDA.

In April 1999, USDA settled a case brought by African-American farmers alleging discrimination. DeLauro said $1.25 billion has been allocated to resolve that “landmark settlement.”

She said Equality for Women Farmers Act would establish a compensation fund of $4.6 billion for these farmers. A Special Master in the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service would be enlisted to process, review and adjudicate claims.

As written in the bill, those who were denied loan applications or their applications were not acted upon are eligible for $5,000 in damages. The Special Master may award additional damages based upon the claim and a formula detailed in DeLauro’s bill.
All bills sponsored by DeLauro can be accessed via a legislation link on her website at www.delauro.house.com

Women farm statistics

According to the NASS and the 2007 ag census, the average farm operated by a man has a different focus than a farm operated by a woman.

Male-operated farms average 452 acres with an average value of $150,671 in sales each year.

Women-operated farms, on the other hand, average 210 acres and make about $36,440 annually.

“Women-operated farms tend to be diverse,” the NASS reported in its 2007 ag census.

“Women are much more likely than their male counterparts to operate farms classified as ‘other livestock farms,’ a category that includes horse farms, or ‘all other crops,’ which includes hay farms.
“Men, meanwhile, are much more likely to run grain and oilseed farms and beef cattle operations.”

The states with the highest percentage of women-operated farms are Arizona, 38.5 percent; New Hampshire, 29.7 percent; Massachusetts, 28.9 percent; Maine, 25.1 percent; and Alaska, 24.5 percent.

In four Midwestern states, women make up less than 10 percent of the primary farm operators – South Dakota, 7.7 percent; Nebraska, 8.4 percent; Minnesota, 9.1 percent; and Iowa, 9.1 percent.
All NASS data can be accessed online at www.agcensus.usda.gov