A new national study commissioned by the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Women’s Leadership Committee is providing insight into the experiences, strengths and needs of women in agriculture, with findings expected to help shape programming for the next five years.
Supported by JBS and CoBank, the study was conducted through an online survey and focus groups and offers a broad look at the roles women play across the agricultural sector. Researchers examined both the contributions women make to farming operations and the challenges they face while balancing responsibilities on and off the farm.
The study found that women in agriculture generally have strong confidence in their ability to manage farm work and family responsibilities. Respondents also reported high levels of confidence in representing agriculture in public and professional settings. According to the survey, 9 out of 10 women said they are confident speaking about agriculture at community meetings, while nearly 90% expressed interest in leadership roles either now or in the future.
The research also identified five areas where additional support could benefit women in agriculture: time and caregiving responsibilities, skill development, leadership involvement, financial planning and overall wellbeing.
Interest in training opportunities was a recurring theme throughout the survey. Nearly half of respondents, 44%, indicated an interest in equipment or technical skills training. Business and financial management training attracted even greater interest, with 56% of women expressing a desire for additional education in that area.
The findings also reinforced several existing Farm Bureau initiatives. Forty-five percent of respondents reported interest in policy or civic engagement training, while 42% said they would like training focused on community involvement or advocacy. Those interests align with Farm Bureau’s Women’s Communications Boot Camp, which has trained more than 350 women in communications and advocacy.
Mentorship also emerged as an area of importance. Forty-five percent of respondents identified interest in mentorship opportunities, reflecting ongoing efforts by the Women’s Leadership Committee to promote leadership development through programs such as AgConnectHER.
Farm succession planning was another significant topic. More than half of respondents, 52%, expressed interest in training related to farm succession or ownership transition. Farm Bureau has addressed succession planning through workshops offered at many recent Farm Bureau conventions and Young Farmers & Ranchers and FUSION conferences.
More than 4,300 women from all 50 states and Puerto Rico participated in the survey. Sixty-one percent described their operations as family farms, and respondents represented more than 25 crops and agricultural commodities.
AFBF and its research partners said they will continue analyzing the survey results to identify additional trends and opportunities to support women in agriculture.
Source: American Farm Bureau Federation, "New Study Finds Women in Agriculture Ready to Lead, More Support Needed"