Women, Land & Legacy

Winneshiek-Howard Women, Land & Legacy Chapter

Owning nearly half of the farmland in Iowa, women landowners play an influential role in decisions that impact agriculture and natural resources. To meet the needs and goals of women who make decisions on behalf of local farms, a group of landowners and conservation resource professionals came together to form Winneshiek County’s Women, Land and Legacy (WLL) chapter in December 2021.

Local Resources

WLL is a program that works locally in counties throughout Iowa to provide participants opportunities to express what their needs are and to help women build long lasting connections with other landowners and operators. WLL allows women to meet local resource professionals who can assist them with conservation services and programs, and provide the resources and knowledge needed so they can make the best farming and conservation choices for their land.

Group of people attending an outdoor workshop in a wooded area.

Listening Sessions

Winneshiek WLL held their first two listening sessions in March 2022, a session at Wildberry Winery and a session at Spillville Library. Women who participated in these two listening sessions identified issues that women in agriculture are facing and what local agencies or non-profits can do to provide women landowners and farmers with the assistance, information and education that they need to accomplish their goals.

The local WLL chapter utilized the information from these listening sessions to inform future educational sessions (learning sessions). Winneshiek WLL hosted two learning sessions in 2022 and joined together with Howard County to grow their chapter in early 2023. The Winneshiek-Howard WLL chapter will host many more learning sessions in the future.

If you would like to be contacted about attending Women, Land and Legacy sessions, to become a member of our WLL planning committee, or to host a learning session at your farm, please contact the Winneshiek County NRCS office at 563-382-4352 ext. 3 or send an email to one of our chapter organizers Sophia Campbell, sophia.campbell@ia.nacdnet.net, or Megan Giorgenti, megan.giorgenti@dnr.iowa.gov.

Find out more about Women, Land & Legacy at womenlandandlegacy.org

A group of women attending an indoor listening session.
Vertical banner showing photo of woman standing in a field with words below "Women coming together to converse, listen, and become empowered to act on their landscape & community.

Contact Information

Chapter Organizer: Sophia Campbell
Email: sophia.campbell@ia.nacdnet.net

Chapter Organizer: Megan Giorgenti
Email: megan.giorgenti@dnr.iowa.gov

Phone: (563) 382-4352 x3

Office:
Winneshiek County SWCD
2296 Oil Well Rd
Decorah, IA 52101

Young lady in stocking cap and blaze orange winter coat standing in snow covered field.
Megan Giorgenti
Young lady in front of large hay bales
Sophia Campbell
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