According to the recently released results of the 2022 Ag Census, women make up about 36% of active farmers in the U.S.

While the census revealed that female producers were most involved in day-to-day, record keeping and financial management decisions, many are out in the field actively participating in their operations’ management – driving tractors, harvesting produce, hauling commodities, etc.

The survey indicates that of the 36% of women farmers, 78% are involved in day-to-day activities, 59% are involved in the actual land use or crop aspect of the farm and 53% manage livestock.

Since March 21 is National Women in Agriculture Day, we are celebrating those women who farm in several stories in the coming weeks highlighting those hard working, boots-on-the-ground ladies.

We all know women who play an active part on their farm. Some are taking the lead managing million-dollar operations, to no surprise.

The roles of women in national organizations have also made an uptick in the last 30 years. State Farm Bureaus are electing women presidents and commodity promotion boards have women presidents. Women leaders are setting and advancing farm policy across the country.

It is part of the norm to see an increased participation from women involved in roles that were commonly assigned to men in the ag industry – crop consultants, crop extension agents, seed breeders and crop and livestock researchers, etc.

When I was in 4-H as a kid, the men took care of the hardcore ag projects – tractors, entomology, beef and swine. The women were assigned cooking, sewing and other home related projects.

When Mrs. Pratt took over our beef program for our club, it was part of a natural progression. She knew more about beef and horses than most of the men I knew.

It was during that time that I met author and animal behavior expert Temple Grandin when she reported for the local farm and ranch publication. She was the first woman I knew in the West who wrote specifically about livestock issues.

Grandin was a personal hero of mine, not because she was a woman, but because I am awed by the way she wrote and how well she understood her subjects.

We are happy to celebrate ag women here at Farm Press. Happy National Women in Agriculture Day.