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Friday was International Women’s Day, a day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Women are central to agriculture, and I’d like to take a minute to think about and celebrate all of the women in agriculture and everything they do.
Globally, women make up half of the agricultural workforce. A third of farmworkers in the United States are women. According to the most recent Ag Census, about 36 percent of U.S. farm operators are women. Women are also co-operators of farms, financial managers, income producers who work outside the home and farm, and often caregivers to older parents or children on the farm, among many other tasks.
Women have always been in farming. Here are a few example of famous women in farming:
Abigail Adams (wife of President John Adams), who successfully ran the family farm while her husband worked in Philadelphia on American independence and the structure of our new government.
Florence L. Hall, who was a senior home economist with USDA Extension and ran the Women’s Land Army (WLA) in World War II. WLA provided labor on local farms while men were away at war.
Maria Andrade, whose research resulted in the development of nine drought-tolerant varieties of sweet potatoes.
Women in farming, thank you for all you do—whether as primary operatory, partner, bookkeeper, family manager, or any other role in agriculture. Your hard work, your caring, your intelligence, and your skill help feed the world. We celebrate you today and every day!!
