Just about everywhere you go this year, you will likely see celebrations related to the International Year of the Women Farmer. From farm and trade association meetings to the state departments of agriculture and even in Congress, there’s a good chance you will hear about this long overdue recognition for women who lead from the farm to the agribusiness boardroom.
“It’s been an idea floated around for many, many years, even when I was in government over eight years ago….the idea of, how do we honor these hard-working women?” said Krysta Harden, a former U.S. Department of Agriculture deputy secretary of agriculture who now serves as president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, during a National Association of State Departments of Agriculture video.
“I always say whether it’s the women who are doing the back bending work in fields and farms, on ranches, or the mind bending, walk around kitchen tables, office tables, or board tables, all those women’s contributions to producing our food really matter,” she said.
Harden kicked off a discussion about the International Year of the Women Farmer at the recent American Farm Bureau Federation in Anaheim, California, noting that “this is just the beginning, a springboard for more ideas and more success.”
According to latest USDA census of agriculture, the United States had 1.2 million female farmers in 2022, representing 36% of the nation’s agricultural producers.
Some 58% of all farms had at least one female producer, USDA reported.
The U.S. originally proposed a resolution honoring female farmers to the U.N. General Assembly and it was adopted on May 2, 2024, with 123 co-sponsoring countries.
Since that time, several U.S. organizations have formed an IYWF working group to organize and coordinate activities. They include: American Farm Bureau Federation, American Farmland Trust, American Soybean Association, Annie’s Project, Corus International, Dairy Farmers of America, Farm Credit, Dairy Girl Network, Equal Origins, International Fresh Produce Association, NASDA, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, National Young Farmers Coalition, Public Lands Council, and U.S. Dairy Export Council.
AFBF study seeks input
Some of their efforts started last fall with the launch of the National Women in Agriculture Study, an AFBF-led project seeking to better understand who today’s women agricultural leaders are, where they contribute, and what barriers still stand in their way.
“You don’t have to be a woman in agriculture to answer the survey questions, because it’s not only about where we feel we are or what we see and experience, but what is the perception and how do others see us, our roles and our limits,” said Isabella Chism, an Indiana row crop farmer and chair of AFBF’s Women’s Leadership Committee. She described the survey as an “awareness builder” that can also be used in creating future educational programs and events.
In addition to the survey, NASDA led the creation of a new online information hub aimed at highlighting the global contributions of women farmers and bringing together efforts already underway to support them. They’ll also host an IYWF discussion at their winter policy conference, as will many other members of the working group.
The U.S. Dairy Export Council launched a video podcast to highlight women farmers called “Voices from the Barn,” hosted by Harden.
A handful of women farmers who serve in Congress are expected to introduce a congressional resolution in January.
All of these activities are designed to lead up to the International Year of the Woman Farmer ACE (Advocate, Cultivate, Empower) Summit in Washington, June 1 to 3, hosted by AFBF and others.
Chism sees the events and programs this year “as a way for us to expand the understanding of who we are in agriculture.” She hopes this year “will help us celebrate the diverse perspectives we have, whether it’s from high tech agronomy to traditional land management and what women actually bring to the table. Boiling that down, it’s ensuring agriculture stays competitive and innovative by using 100% of our human capital.”
Editor’s note: Sara Wyant is publisher of Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc., www.Agri-Pulse.com.
