How Women Farmers are Changing U.S. Agriculture
Author: Jodi Helmer
Women now account for 30 percent of the farm operators in the U.S., a number which has almost tripled in the last three decades, creating the fastest growing segment in agriculture. But beyond the numbers, women are at the forefront of an important shift in today’s farm landscape.
Namely, women tend to farm on smaller pieces of land, grow diverse crops, favor sustainable practices, and prioritize food over commodity crops.
In their new book, The Rise of Women Farmers and Sustainable Agriculture, a quintet of authors—Carolyn Sachs, Mary E. Barbercheck, Kathyrn Brasier, Nancy Ellen Kiernan, and Rachel Terman—take a close look at two trends happening simultaneously: an increase in the number of women farmers and a growing demand for sustainable agriculture.
Terman took time to share some insights into the trends and what she learned while researching the topic.
Why did you all decide to write about this topic?
We wanted to discuss the influential role that women farmers are playing in agriculture and look at how these two trends have come together and impacted each other. We also wanted to highlight the voices of women in agriculture and share their stories. The information in the book is based on 10 years of research with the Pennsylvania Women’s Agricultural Network.