Dakota Farmer

It's always a good time to celebrate women in agricultureIt's always a good time to celebrate women in agriculture

Next Gen-Agribusiness: Recognition enables success in generations to come.

February 5, 2025

5 Min Read
woman farmer checking rape in field
BRING BENEFITS: Women who work in agriculture bring many benefits to the industry. Supporting and mentoring the next generation can ensure these benefits continue into the future. Getty Images

By Hollie Rudy

March is Women’s History Month, and it also marks only 10 months until the start of the International Year of the Woman Farmer in 2026. There is growing recognition of the value that women bring across all aspects of the agriculture industry; however, it’s still critically important to raise awareness about some of the common challenges facing women in ag.

There are many ways to help women overcome these challenges, and doing so will benefit the industry now and for generations to come. Here are a few ways to enable women to succeed in ag:

Help overcome gender disparities

From historical and cultural standpoints, women have played an important albeit supporting role in farming and rural life, generally following very traditional standards. Typically, men are seen as experts in the field, while women’s expertise is spread out across various tasks.

These include managing money — with farm and household finances — schedules or caring for children. Men are credited with raising the crops, and women are viewed as the glue that holds the farm together.

Although these are generalized views, their intent extends beyond farm work and influences much of how the industry operates and how women working in ag are perceived. If you ask most women working in ag, here are some of the challenges they face simply because they are women:

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  • Establishing credibility takes a lot of time and energy. Women often have to go above and beyond to prove their value.

  • Meeting the demands of their caregiving responsibilities, women are limited in how much they can participate, particularly when it comes to operational aspects of the farm.

  • There are barriers to overcome to ascend to a leadership position. In farm succession planning, women are often overlooked for leadership roles in farm operations. Women also are more likely to manage tasks that generate off-farm income, which reduces the amount of time they can dedicate to farming and adds to the gap in on-farm female leadership.

If we widen our view of where and how women can provide value, we will make progress closing this gender gap and facilitate the success of women. In doing so, we’ll advance the entire industry.

Continuing to deploy labor resources using traditional standards of how men and women work is limiting everyone’s potential. Take a hypothetical example that I see frequently: Men spend their time in the field managing yield, while women provide back-end resources, such as managing finances and accounting. There’s value in cross-training both men and women in these areas of the business. Doing so will add versatility to your operation.

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Similarly, it’s productive to make sure you are aligning resources with individual passions and strengths to get the most value out of your labor resources. If you have someone who's savvy with technology, finances or agronomy, put them in seats to make decisions and lead in those areas.

The same goes for someone who feels deeply connected to the land and shows a passion for field work. Whether male or female, they will bring greater value to your operation when provided opportunities to contribute in areas that excite and inspire them.

Encourage the next generation of women in ag

More women are pursuing a career in ag, getting involved in farming operations, getting an education and bringing that knowledge and experience back to the farm to create value, whether in agronomy, ag science, technology or finance, among other areas.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, women pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agricultural programs have been steadily increasing since the 1960s. In 2020, women made up more than 57% of total bachelor’s degrees.

How do we make the path to success — whether in the field, the office or off the farm entirely — a little more linear for these young women?

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For women aspiring to start or advance their career in ag, you can help yourself by being proactive and taking advantage of various ways to get involved. Join professional organizations such as the National Women in Agriculture Association.

Attend an industry event, such as the Women in Agribusiness Summit. Do research and stay engaged with programs that promote women in ag, including local extension programs or initiatives such as FFA’s “Impact FFA: Women Growing Women.”

Finally, raise your hand and use your voice. Don’t wait for someone to call on you or to present you with opportunities; go out and create them yourself.

For women who already have established careers in ag, seek out ways to share your knowledge and mentor new graduates and/or up-and-coming women in ag. Share ideas to enable these women to follow a career path to leadership positions within the industry. If you find yourself in one of those positions now, use your power and influence to raise awareness about the benefits we all experience when women in ag succeed.

And for our male counterparts, don’t underestimate the value that women can bring to the table. Ask the women in your network about their goals, aspirations and ideas to be successful. Consider ways to support them in their pursuits. Finally, look to create a diverse network that includes the talent, insights, perspective and expertise of women, which can provide an edge as you’re tackling the challenges of the day.

Looking to the future

As the ag industry moves forward, it’s a great time to consider all the ways that women can create value, on the farm and across the industry. Particularly now, when margins are so tight and optimism is in short supply, the perspective that women bring can be a motivator or an anchor of resolve to boost overall morale. Women have always played an important role in the success of our industry, and it’s important to recognize and celebrate that as we chart a path for the next generation to take our industry to new heights.

Rudy is a territory manager with Nutrien Financial. She provides financing expertise to growers throughout Minnesota and the Dakotas to increase their buying power and maximize every opportunity for success. Learn more at NutrienFinancial.com.

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