Characteristics of Women Farm Operators and Their Farms

ii Characteristics of Women Farm Operators and Their Farms, EIB-111 Economic Research Service, USDA
Contents
Summary ........................................................iv
Introduction .......................................................1
Data Sources ....................................................2
Previous ERS Research ............................................3
Shifts in the Size Distribution of Farms, 1982-2007 ......................4
More Women-Operated Farms in All Sales Classes ......................4
A Growing Share of Women-Operated Farms ..........................4
Characteristics of Principal Women Farm Operators,
With Gender Comparisons ..........................................8
Women Farm Operators Are Older ...................................8
Women Farm Operators Are More Highly Educated .....................9
Women Operators Often Rely on Off-Farm Work and Income ............10
Returns to Women-Operated Farms .................................13
Women’s Smaller Farms Lead to Lower Returns ......................13
Farming Despite Negative Returns ..................................14
Farms and Sales by Specialization ...................................15
Farm and Operator Characteristics Vary by Specialization ..............18
Grains and Oilseeds ..............................................18
Hay ...........................................................18
Specialty Crops .................................................19
Miscellaneous Crops .............................................20
Beef Cattle Farming and Ranching ..................................20
Cattle Feedlots .................................................22
Dairy .........................................................22
Horses and Other Equines .........................................22
Sheep and Goats .................................................23
Poultry and Eggs ................................................23
Hogs and Pigs ..................................................24
Miscellaneous Livestock ..........................................24
Women’s Commercial Farms .......................................25
Five Major Specializations ........................................25
Characteristics of Women Commercial Farm Operators ..................26
Land in Farms and Ranches ........................................28
Government Payments: Important to Grain and
Miscellaneous Crop Farms .........................................30
Women as Secondary Operators .....................................32