In March, PBS aired an interview with Jean Eels, who works with the Women, Food & Agriculture Network’s Women Caring for the Land program. In the interview, Eels talks

Jean Eels, left, demonstrates soil tests that can be done at home.

about the importance of reaching Iowa’s women landowners, who own or co-own nearly half of Iowa’s land, through conservation meetings. These events provide them with vital resources for conservation assistance and empower them to ask questions and work with their tenants, USDA agency representatives and other conservation partners. Says Eels, “We know that 50 to 70 percent of the women who come to a one day meeting will take an action to improve conservation on their land.”

“We always just talk about farmers. They’re not the only decision makers out there that can make that difference. We’ve got to change how we talk about the landscape.”

Watch the interview here.