The Center for Practical Federalism has raised concerns about 4-H federally funded youth programs that continue to implement gender ideology policies for overnight housing, despite the rescission of these policies by the Trump administration. The organization is urging the USDA to evaluate these programs’ gender policies to align with current federal directives, citing specific examples like the Rock Springs Ranch 4-H Camp in Kansas where a male-born individual was housed with preteen girls without parental consent.
The organization, which advocates for state sovereignty and limits on federal overreach, highlighted concerns about overnight housing accommodations based on self-identified gender rather than biological sex. The group cited the Rock Springs Ranch 4-H Camp in Kansas as an example where a male-born individual was housed with preteen girls, prompting calls for a USDA review of all 4-H programs to ensure compliance with current federal directives.
Other states have similar policies, according to the Center for Practical Federalism. For example, California and Oregon both espouse policies in official documents or in training materials for their 4-H programs that place participants and adult chaperones in overnight housing based on their gender identity, rather than biological sex. The University of California’s 4-H Youth Development Program did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital, nor did Oregon State’s 4-H Youth Development Program.
The Center for Practical Federalism is requesting that the USDA conduct a review of all federally funded 4-H programs, land grant institutions and 4-H facilities to determine where rescinded gender ideology policies are still being enforced. Likewise, the group urges the USDA to institute formal standards