DWC in the News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Tuesday, July 14, Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) members, led by the Committee on Agriculture Ranking Member & DWC member Angie Craig (MN-02) and Committee on Agriculture Vice Ranking Member & DWC Communications Task Force Co-Chair Shontel Brown (OH-11), called on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reverse its decision rejecting the nominations of four qualified women farmers to the United Soybean Board (USB). 

USB is a volunteer organization intended to serve and fairly represent American famers. Throughout its 35 years of operation, leadership on the board has been chosen by the farmers themselves, not the USDA, which typically only provided a formal sign-off. This year, without justification, the USDA rejected the nominations of all four women farmers who had previously served on the board and reduced women’s representation to just five of 77 board members—the lowest rate in at least a decade. 

In their letter Members highlighted the qualifications of the women USDA rejected from leadership positions as well as how this decision will hurt USB operations: 

“In doing so, your Department rejected dedicated and experienced farmers such as Susan Watkins, a seventh-generation soybean farmer from Virginia, who was initially appointed to USB under the first Trump administration. Ms. Watkins had already been selected as Treasurer for the subsequent term, and her seat is now empty as a result of your intervention.”

Members also outlined how this decision will harm the growing share of women farmers’ credibility and representation in the industry:

“This represents the lowest level of membership by women farmers on USB in at least a decade, even as the share of women farmers continues to grow. This decision turned away American farmers who were qualified and experienced, had already been approved by their peers, and were eager to serve their community on the USB. Your Department has failed to give any rationale for this decision.”

Lastly, the Members warn against the Trump administration's broader plan to remove women from leadership roles in public service: 

“This action comes after this administration blocked promotions for women servicemembers and illegally fired women Commissioners at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and women officials on the National Labor Relation Board. Women have been disproportionately shut out of senior roles within this administration and disproportionately affected by the mass firings within the federal workforce. None of these actions, including the USB intervention, came with any logical explanation. This not only harms the individual women who were targeted, but the broader communities and organizations that they are members of.” 

Read the full letter here.

In addition to the letter leads, the letter was signed by: 

Julia Brownley, Nikki Budzinski, Chrissy Houlahan, Democratic Women's Caucus Chair Teresa Leger Fernández, April McClain Delaney, Chellie Pingree, Democratic Women's Caucus Policy Task Force Co-Chair Deborah K. Ross, Democratic Women's Caucus Congressional Hispanic Caucus Liaison Andrea Salinas, Jan Schakowsky, Democratic Women's Caucus Caregiving Task Force Co-Chair Lateefah Simon, and Lauren Underwood.