Dr. Tammy Gray-Steele is the first American agricultural specialist, agripreneur, educator, and women and children advocate. Born and raised on a farm, she received her secondary education in the rustic and rural community of Wewoka, Oklahoma. Upon graduating high school, Dr. Steele left Oklahoma to pursue a dual educational and business career in New York City. Armed with the legal degree she obtained from New York University Law School, and the requisite legal business experience she acquired on Manhattan’s Wall Street, she returned home to her family farm, and started to give back to the Oklahoma rural communities, in the process working full-time in the Oklahoma Corporate legal arena, and devoting time to study for a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA), Horticulture and Childcare Development Certifications. On the broader national turf, Dr. Steele is a former USDA-SARE Advisory Main Council Member. Additionally, she had the rare honor of being appointed by President Barack Obama’s administration as a distinguished USDA-NASS Advisory Councilwoman, serve on USDA Grant Panels and a USDA Strategic Action Team Leader. Dr. Steele serves on various scholarship committees that were instituted for the educational empowerment of the youth. In addition, she offers invaluable support to the Oklahoma City Black Chamber of Commerce, apart from volunteering on various rural Chamber of Commerce boards.
Dr. Tammy Gray-Steele is the first black female to own and operate the largest nonprofit agriculture organization in the world!
FWM: Tell us about the National Women In Agriculture Association.
- There is not a single organization focused on the empowerment of minority, women farmers. TO DATE, THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BLACK CHARTER ON RECORD.
2. NWIAA was excluded from the American Rescue Plan, which allocated 75 million dollars.
3. NWIAA is the Largest Non-Profit Women-in-Agriculture Organization in the Country, with a focus on minority women farmers and educating minority youth towards a career in agriculture.
4. We are asking President Biden to sign an executive order to officially name NWIAA as a Charter Organization, similar to the 4-H organization, so that NWIAA can receive lifetime sustainable funding to grow each of our chartered organizations.
5. Our overall goal is Equality & Inclusion of minority farmers in the Agricultural Industry, and educate our minority youth in to a career in agriculture.
FWM: Share a few of your programs.
NWIAA’s objective for conducting the J.A.D.E. classes: To educate and assist over 100,000 socially disadvantaged citizens to become active participants of the farming and agriculture industries, which ties into the mission of USDA. This project will be used as a model in other NWIAA chapters throughout the United States.
FWM: As a Leader in the agriculture sector, what is important to you?
– We are asking President Biden to sign an executive order to officially name NWIAA as a Charter Organization, similar to the 4-H organization, so that NWIAA can receive lifetime sustainable funding to grow each of our chartered organizations.
– Our overall goal is Equality & Inclusion of minority farmers in the Agricultural Industry, and educate our minority youth into a career in agriculture.
FWM: As a widely-sought after agricultural expert, Why are people coming to you today?
They come to receive honest assistance to start the agriculture business and to leave a legacy.
FWM: Tell us about your upcoming speaking engagements.
I will be a keynote speaker at agriculture conferences throughout the United States. Also I will be a speaker for minority sororities x.
FWM: You have a legendary passion for empowering disadvantaged women and women of color in rural America. Share your initiatives and your vision for the future.
To become the 1st Congresionally Chartered Black Organization in America’s history. This provide our organization to be a grant funder to help farmers that help our youth.
FWM: What do you want your legacy to be?
Providing sustainable life skill opportunities to underserved youth which ultimately help them to be prosperous citizens that contribute society.
Outstanding! Love her work for the children.