Women have the highest representation in sheep and goat farming where they make up 46.1% of all producers, followed closely by aquaculture and other animal production (44.9%). Photo by RDNE Stock project httpswww.pexels.com

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - A quiet transformation is unfolding in American agriculture. Female farmers are taking on a larger role in shaping the future of farming, contributing to both local economies and national food production.

Recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals a steady rise in the number of women involved in farm decision-making and management. From small family farms to large commercial operations, women are increasingly present in agricultural leadership. As this shift continues, certain parts of the country stand out for having a higher concentration of female farmers.

There has been a growing number of female farmers in the U.S. Over the past two decades, the share of female farmers in the United States has steadily increased. According to data from the most recent Census of Agriculture, women now make up more than a third of all agricultural producers, a notable rise from 26.9% in 2002.

A key turning point came with the 2017 Census of Agriculture, which expanded the definition of producers to provide a more comprehensive picture of the individuals involved in farm decision-making. As a result, the recorded number of female producers increased significantly from 969,672 in 2012 to 1,227,461 in 2017, in part due to this broader definition.

The data also shows a clear long-term trend: the number of male producers has been declining since 2007, when it peaked at 2.3 million. By 2022, that number fell to 2.15 million, continuing a downward trajectory.

Meanwhile, the share of female producers has grown consistently across every census, from 30.0% in 2007 to 30.5% in 2012, even before the definitional change in 2017 pushed it higher to 36.1%. The 2022 census confirmed that this upward trend has continued, with women now accounting for 36.3% of all producers.

While there are a record number of female farmers in the U.S., their presence varies significantly across different farming industries. Female producers are most concentrated in livestock operations involving smaller animals, specialty crops and greenhouse production, while they have lower representation in large-scale commodity farming.

Women have the highest representation in sheep and goat farming where they make up 46.1% of all producers, followed closely by aquaculture and other animal production (44.9%). This category includes horse farming, which has historically had strong female participation.

Poultry and egg farming also has a high share of female producers (43.2%). While large-scale poultry production is dominated by major agribusinesses, smaller-scale poultry operations, such as those focused on pasture-raised eggs, organic poultry or specialty breeds are also common.

Female producers are well represented in vegetable and melon farming (39.3%), greenhouse and floriculture production (39.3%) and fruit and tree nut farming (38.0%). These sectors frequently involve intensive management, diversified crop production and specialty markets.

In contrast, female representation is lower in commodity crop production and large-scale livestock operations.

Women account for just 27.5% of cotton farmers, 25.9% of oilseed and grain producers and only 21.2% of tobacco farmers, which is the lowest share among all major agricultural sectors. Similarly, industries that require large-scale infrastructure, such as cattle feedlots (28.4%) and dairy farming (29.9%), have lower female participation rates.

Female farmers are not evenly distributed across the country. The western United States and the Northeast have the highest concentrations of female producers while much of the Midwest and parts of the Southeast have the lowest.

Arizona leads the nation, with 47.9% of its agricultural producers being women. Other western states also rank high, including Alaska (47.6%), Oregon (44.0%) and Nevada (42.7%).

In the Northeast, New Hampshire (44.8%), Maine (43.1%) and Rhode Island (42.9%) have a high share of female producers. These regions tend to have a greater proportion of smaller farms, direct-to-consumer markets and diversified operations.

In contrast, the Midwest has the lowest share of female farmers, with the bottom five states being Illinois (28.0%), North Dakota (29.9%), Minnesota (31.0%), South Dakota (31.2%) and Iowa (32.7%).

The Southeast also has relatively lower concentrations, with North Carolina (33.3%), Mississippi (34.4%), Alabama (34.7%) and several other southern states ranking below the national average. These regions are home to large-scale commodity crop operations such as corn, soybeans and commercial livestock.

County-level data reinforces these trends. Among the nation’s largest agricultural counties, Coconino County, Arizona (52.9%) has the highest share among large counties, followed closely by Apache County, Arizona (52.6%) and Navajo County, Arizona (51.0%).

Other counties with a high proportion of female farmers include Pierce County, Washington (49.5%); Deschutes County, Oregon (49.2%); and McKinley County, New Mexico (49.1%), reinforcing the regional trend of stronger female representation in the West.

A summary of the Sacramento County data follows:

Female producers as a share of total: 39.9%

Female-operated farms as a share of total: 67.4%

10-year change in female producers: -2.5%

10-year change in female-operated farms: -4.3%

Total female producers: 814

Total female-operated farms: 753

Total producers: 2,041

Total farms: 1,118.

For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:

Female producers as a share of total: 36.3%

Female-operated farms as a share of total: 58.4%

10-year change in female producers: +26.3%

10-year change in female-operated farms: +20.2%

Total female producers: 1,224,726

Total female-operated farms: 1,110,546

Total producers: 3,374,044

Total farms: 1,900,487.

The data in this study was sourced from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Census of Agriculture, specifically the most recent 2022 edition which was released in 2024.