USDA creates women farmer liaison to close a $1B funding gap
H.R. 2638 — Women in Agriculture Act · Filed by Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) · 4 cosponsors · Introduced Apr 3, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a new position—a Women Farmers and Ranchers Liaison—within the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help women farmers access USDA programs, loans, and grants. The Liaison will provide information, assist with applications, advocate for women farmers, and publish annual reports showing how much USDA funding reaches women-owned farms. The bill also directs USDA to fund research on ergonomic farm equipment designed for women and to prioritize loans and grants for childcare in rural communities.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to establish a dedicated liaison position and reporting mechanism to increase women farmers' access to existing USDA programs and direct research/lending toward women-owned operations and rural childcare. It is a targeted equity and access measure, not a broad agricultural subsidy or deregulation.
What the text implies
- Annual public reporting on gender disparities in USDA funding may create political pressure to rebalance loan and grant distribution, potentially shifting resources away from historically dominant farm demographics.
- The Liaison's authority to contract with research institutions and nonprofits for mentoring, training, and internships could establish a new pipeline of women into agricultural leadership and entrepreneurship, with long-term workforce effects.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
women-owned farms and agricultural operations; rural childcare providers and organizations; agricultural research institutions and nonprofits contracted for training and mentoring