Session: Special Session Symposium--Seeds of Change: Fostering an Environment of LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Agronomy, Crop, and Soil Sciences

Title: Special Session Symposium--Seeds of Change: Fostering an Environment of LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Agronomy, Crop, and Soil Sciences

Session Description: Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT+) community represent approximately 4.5% of the United States adult population, but less than 1% of the adult agricultural workforces according to estimates. Currently, data is not being collected on a national scale to better understand why there is a lack of queer representation in agriculture. The purpose of the session is to provide insights into LGBTQ+ inclusion at a local, state, and national level in agronomy, crop, and soil sciences. Speakers, with a breadth of experiences from academia to industry, will help participants to better understand the current efforts to being made to understand the queer experience, enact change at a multiple levels, and navigate the queer experience in academia.