News

Rural childcare an emerging farm bill issue

Rural childcare is an emerging issue as farm bill discussions pick up.

U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee member Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota tells Brownfield she’s hosted several listening sessions across her state recently.

“And boy did we hear a lot about childcare when we were out there in terms of the Rural Development Title of the farm bill and things we could do.”

She says Kandiyohi County in west central Minnesota has nearly 1,000 childcare slots open.

“So this is real, and I’m helping Glenwood right now (where) there is a childcare facility, it’s not about staffing it’s about a place to continue their work. So (childcare) is a big thing.”

American Farm Bureau says as part of its 2023 Farm Bill priorities it supports increased access and incentives to provide safe and adequate childcare in rural communities.