2025 American Agri-Women Symposium: Women Leading the Conversation on Forest and Water Policy

From left AAW Past President Heather Hampton-Knodle and Congressman Cliff Bentz of Oregon

American Agri-Women’s 30th Symposium was held at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C., on June 9.

The organization’s past presidents identified this year’s topic as, “New Era in Public Land Management: Healthy Forests, Grazing, and Water Resources,” to develop a deeper understanding of complex issues and possible solutions for improving the health of U.S. natural resources. AAW Immediate Past President Heather Hampton+Knodle of Fillmore, Illinois chaired and moderated the event.

AAW’s current President Rose Tryon, also the former Vice Mayor of Paradise, California, shared her personal story of surviving the fire that destroyed the town in 2018 and being part of the rebuilding. The fuel load of surrounding forests was a large factor in how fast the fire spread from its starting point at a town 8 miles away in the mountainous area to destroying the town of more than 26,000 inhabitants in less than one day. Tryon shared that when people manage forests, there is a cooling process that helps the forest complete its life cycle in contrast to allowing dead trees and underbrush to compound over time.

Tryon’s experience was validated further by Travis Joseph with the American Forest Resource Council. Joseph outlined how the current system of management that has been in place since the early 1990s has undermined the ability of professionals in forestry to provide benefits to the environment and the economy. Joseph said, “In the 1990’s the government chose a passive paradigm vs. active management. Since that time we’ve lost 10’s of thousands of jobs and millions of acres to wildfires while forest products have become our country’s second largest agricultural import as each U.S. resident consumers 3 lbs of wood products each day.” He closed with solutions to active management and decreased litigation that prevents forest plans from being implemented.

Congressman Cliff Bentz of Oregon provided perspective on the importance of our nation’s waterways drawn from his diverse experiences ranging from being involved in the Columbia River Treaty with Canada while a state legislator to serving on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. He summarized key ways that waterways serve people by protecting them from ‘fear of flooding’ by advanced planning and structures such as dams and levees to pool water; ‘fear of the dark’ by generating energy; and the ‘fear of no salad’ by providing natural water resources to grow food and feedstocks.

USDA’s Deputy Undersecretary for Natural Resources and the Environment, Kristin Sleeper, updated the audience on statutory purposes and current priorities of the agency with regards to forests. She cited that one-third of all Americans live in high-risk fire areas. The policies she outlined would leave them better protected.  She cited the agency’s drive to respond to permits within 30 days to 60 days of their filing as one example of complying with statute and improving efficiency.  She noted that 50% of the country’s water originates somewhere in “the West” on forest lands which is another important reason to maintain healthy forests.

Congressman Harriett Hageman of Wyoming highlighted experiences related to grazing rights and forest management in her remarks. She emphasized that long-term contracts to harvest timber on public lands are needed to justify starting up timber companies. She walked the audience through implications of the 2023-2024 proposal by the Securities Exchange Commission to allow trading of Natural Asset Companies on the New York Stock Exchange.  “It would have allowed everything associated with publicly-owned land such as wind and pollen - to have been scored according the United Nations accounting methods and then be sold to any buyer, foreign or domestic.” In her closing remarks, Hageman reminded listeners of the 5th Amendment which allows the right to own property.  Hageman said, “If you can’t own property, you are property.”

AAW members can access the Symposium recording through the americanagriwomen.org website.