Characteristics of Women Farm Operators and Their Farms

Economic Research Service, USDA Characteristics of Women Farm Operators and Their Farms, EIB-111 1
Introduction
Farms and ranches operated by women have more than doubled in the last 30 years.
Since 1978, the first year the Census of Agriculture collected data on the gender
of farmers, the share of women-operated farms has grown from 5 percent of U.S.
farms to 14 percent (fig. 1). The number of women-operated farms increased in
all sales classes (based on annual sales, with adjustments for price changes). In
contrast, farms operated by men declined substantially, with only the largest and
smallest sales classes ($500,000 or more and less than $1,000) increasing.
Women-operated farms are those whose principal operator—the individual most
responsible for day-to-day management of the farm—is a woman (see the appendix
for a more detailed definition). Unless otherwise qualified, the term “women operators”
refers to principal operators only. The term “farm,” when used by itself in the
report, includes ranches.
This report examines various characteristics of women farm operators and their
farms, including:
• Changes in the distribution of women-operated farms and ranches by sales class
(with sales measured in constant 2007 dollars).
• Age, education, and off-farm work and income of women principal
farm operators.