Civil Eats has long told the stories of people whose valuable contributions to the food system are overlooked. As we approach International Women’s Day this Sunday, March 8th—during the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer—we want to shine a spotlight on women farmers and food producers shaping the food system.
Women are in the minority in U.S. agriculture, comprising 36 percent of farmers, according to the most recent (2022) U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Because of historic and systemic discrimination, only 5 percent of farmers are people of color, making BIPOC women in agriculture even rarer.
Despite the numbers, women in ag make an outsized impact: Whether ranching, farming, raising oysters, beekeeping, or building farmworker power, women often take a collaborative approach that brings others along and benefits both their communities and the environment.
Here are our most important stories about women farmers from the last several years, in chronological order.
Debbie Clay is a farmer in Stony Creek, Virginia. When her father died in 1998, Clay inherited 110 acres. (Photo credit: Kate Medley)
The Inspiring Women Reshaping the Food System
From farmworkers and graziers to entrepreneurs and advocates, these women are leading the change for more just and sustainable food.
Once on the Sidelines of Farming, Women Landowners Find Their Voices
Half a million American women rent land to tenant farmers. Now, a handful of conservation groups are working to empower these rural stakeholders to prioritize the air, water, and land.
How an Oregon Rancher is Building Soil Health—and a Robust Regional Food SystemFourth-generation rancher Cory Carman holistically manages 5,000 acres, creating a model for sustainable meat operations in the Pacific Northwest.
Female Farmers are Coming into Their Own—and Networking is Key to Their Success
New data shows more than a third of all U.S. producers are women, and many are supporting each other through in-person connections.
In the Central Valley town of Lindsay, Irma Medellin (left) and Isabel Arrollo-Toland, the mother-daughter team behind El Quinto Sol de America, a farmworker support organization. (Photo credit: Twilight Greenaway)
Meet the Women Building Political Power for Farmworkers in the Central ValleyIn farm country, the mother-daughter team behind El Quinto Sol de America have spent the last 15 years helping their region’s poorest residents advocate for the health and safety of their communities.
Women Chefs and Farmers Are the Backbone of Detroit’s Food SystemHome to an often-unsung network of women and non-binary leaders, the city was a backdrop for a recent dinner series that put them in the spotlight.
After #MeToo, This Group Has Nearly Erased Sexual Harassment in Farm FieldsOn big farms, protecting women and men from sexual violence has required a cultural shift. Our reporter spent weeks with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, documenting their effective methods of education, monitoring, and enforcement.
Meet the Black Women Driving New Ag Policy
A new generation of elected officials is working to benefit disadvantaged farmers and African Americans in their states by serving on agriculture committees, introducing legislation to promote equity in agriculture, and fighting food insecurity.
Lora Kinkade. (Photo credit: Mizzica Films)
Civil Eats TV: Women in Wool
We profile women working the land, with animals, and with wool to create a local fiber shed: ‘If you care about where your food comes, you should care about where your fiber comes from.’
Can Aquaculture Help Women Secure a New Foothold in the Seafood Industry?
Women have long played a crucial role in global fisheries, yet their work remains largely invisible. As a growing number start aquaculture businesses, it’s unclear if the industry will provide a path toward more independence and recognition.
Planting a Life—and a Future—After Prison at Benevolence Farm
The residential and employment program on a North Carolina organic farm helps women adjust to life after prison and learn a vocation.
A Black-Led Agricultural Community Takes Shape in Maryland
An urban farm trailblazer begins building a Black agrarian corridor in rural Maryland, fostering community and climate resilience. Land access was the first step.
Southern Black Farmers Sow Rice and Reconciliation
Jubilee Justice grows rice regeneratively while reclaiming the past.
Kennady Lilly represents the eighth generation to tend her family’s 32-acre farm, Lillyland, in Hempstead, Texas. (Photo credit: Nicole J. Caruth)
This Queer Couple Supports LGBTQ+ and BIPOC Farmers’ Mental Health
LGBTQ+ farmers are at high risk for depression and anxiety, and farmers who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color face additional stress. Here’s how two determined farmers in Texas care for their community.
What Bees Can Teach Us About Survival and Well-being
‘The Wisdom of the Hive,’ a new book by two women beekeepers, explores the short, selfless lives of honey bees, defined by mutual caretaking and attunement to the larger ecosystem.
Meet the Women of the ‘Alt Food System’
In her new book, ‘Reaping What She Sows,’ author Nancy Matsumoto documents the women designing systems that benefit communities and the environment.
In Oregon, a Local Seafood Movement Connects Consumers to the Coast
The Winter Waters event series, created by three Portland women, invites Oregonians to understand, appreciate, and support the region’s ocean bounty.
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