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Childcare availability becoming more of a concern

Access to childcare is becoming a prominent issue for some farm families.

Minnesota Farm Bureau director of public policy Amber Hanson-Glaeser says members are expressing concern about childcare shortages across Greater Minnesota.

“And part of what we’re hearing is (with) some of those financial challenges, you have a lot of people getting off farm jobs (maybe) for the first time. So this childcare piece is a newer piece.”

She tells Brownfield some states, including Minnesota, also have burdensome regulations that legislators need to address.

“There’s definitely a shortage all across the state, and we just want to make sure that as those discussions are ongoing at the state capitol, that rural Minnesota is kept in the forefront of those issues as well because it’s an issue that’s facing the whole state.”

Hanson-Glaeser suspects other states are struggling with similar problems, but says Minnesota is unique in how its agencies implement certain childcare regulations.