Economic Research Service, USDA <strong>Characteristics</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Women</strong> <strong>Farm</strong> <strong>Operators</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Their</strong> <strong>Farm</strong>s, EIB-111 17
18 <strong>Characteristics</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Women</strong> <strong>Farm</strong> <strong>Operators</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Their</strong> <strong>Farm</strong>s, EIB-111 Economic Research Service, USDA <strong>Farm</strong> <strong>and</strong> Operator <strong>Characteristics</strong> Vary by Specialization Grains <strong>and</strong> Oilseeds Hay To assess the diversity <strong>of</strong> farms <strong>and</strong> ranches operated by women, we examined variation in farm <strong>and</strong> farm operator characteristics by commodity specialization. The distribution <strong>of</strong> women-operated grain farms by sales class is unique (table 5). Nearly half <strong>of</strong> these farms (47 percent) have sales between $10,000 <strong>and</strong> $99,999, substantially more than any other specialization. The share <strong>of</strong> women’s grain farms selling less than $10,000 is only 31 percent, substantially lower than any other specialization except dairy. At the other end <strong>of</strong> the size spectrum, 22 percent <strong>of</strong> women-operated grain farms have sales above $100,000—more than any other specialization, with the exceptions <strong>of</strong> dairy <strong>and</strong> poultry. Fewer economies <strong>of</strong> scale exist for field crops than for livestock operations (O’Donoghue et al., 2011, pp. 48-49), so these economies are less <strong>of</strong> a factor in encouraging grain farmers to become larger or downsize to a residential farm. However, technological factors—including larger <strong>and</strong> faster equipment—have increased the acreage that operators can manage. The ability <strong>of</strong> operators to manage more acres may help explain the relatively large 59-percent share <strong>of</strong> women’s grain farms with only one operator. The corresponding estimates <strong>of</strong> a single operator for other high-sales specializations—those reporting sales per farm above the $58,400 average for all women-operated farms—are lower, ranging from 45 to 51 percent. 4 Alternatively, the large share <strong>of</strong> one-operator farms among women’s grain farms may reflect the presence <strong>of</strong> older widows. <strong>Women</strong> operators <strong>of</strong> grain farms tend to be older than other women operators. Forty-eight percent are at least 65 years old, a higher percentage than any other specialization except miscellaneous crops (56 percent). Hay farms grow hay for their own livestock enterprises or provide feed for livestock production on other farms. A high percentage <strong>of</strong> women-operated farms specializing in hay (82 percent) have sales less than $10,000. Hay farms also average only 132 acres per farm, or roughly 80 acres less than average for all farms operated by women. Transportation is a major consideration in selling hay, which tends to limit sales to high-quality hay suitable for dairy cows or horses, whose owners can afford to pay more for the hay if transport costs are involved. Hauling costs are a limiting factor to buyers <strong>of</strong> hay for beef cattle (Stordahl, 2007). Difficulty in transporting hay may limit the sales <strong>of</strong> hay farms <strong>and</strong> help explain their small size, regardless <strong>of</strong> the gender <strong>of</strong> the operator. 4 An even larger share <strong>of</strong> grain farms has one operator when both men- <strong>and</strong> women-operated farms are considered. About 65 percent <strong>of</strong> all grain farms have one operator, compared with 44 to 54 percent for other high-sales specializations. (High-sales specializations—as defined here—include grains <strong>and</strong> oilseeds, specialty crops, cattle feedlots, dairy, poultry <strong>and</strong> eggs, <strong>and</strong> hogs <strong>and</strong> pigs.)
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