Women Farmers in Pennsylvania
In the U.S., according to the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture1, women make up about one-third of all agricultural producers, and more than half of farms (58%) have at least one female producer2. In Pennsylvania, women contribute across all aspects of agriculture through growing food, raising animals, managing land, and operating businesses.
Women farmers in Pennsylvania come from many backgrounds and bring a wide range of skills, experiences, and traditions to their farms. Women of color, including Black, Indigenous, Latina, Asian, Pacific Islander, and multiracial women, are a part of agriculture across the Commonwealth1 and are involved in a range of agricultural activities, including local food systems and urban agriculture.
While the USDA Census of Agriculture does not collect data on sexual orientation or gender identity, a USDA-funded SARE project in Pennsylvania demonstrates the participation of LGBTQ+ farmers in sustainable agriculture networks and training programs3.
Research in Pennsylvania shows that women farmers, especially those from historically marginalized groups, often link farm enterprises with social and community goals. Their farms contribute to community development, partnerships, and local engagement, frequently functioning as spaces for collaboration, education, and social connection4-6.
USDA ERS analyses based on Agricultural Resource Management Survey data show that differences in resources such as land, capital, and financial conditions shape farm outcomes7. In Pennsylvania, this diversity in resources is reflected in the wide range of farm sizes and production systems in which women farmers are engaged.
In Pennsylvania, organizations such as Penn State Extension, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, American Farmland Trust, and Northeast SARE support women farmers through education, networking, conservation planning, technical assistance, and access to research and funding opportunities.
The roles of women farmers often extend beyond the farm to include significant family caregiving responsibilities, such as caring for children and aging adults, which shape how time, labor, and resources are managed within farm households8.
What these women have in common is commitment to their land, their families, and their communities. Women farmers in Pennsylvania include farm owners and managers, new and beginning farmers, and multigenerational producers. They are continuing long traditions and building new pathways in agriculture. Women of color and LGBTQ+ women add perspectives shaped by place, culture, and community connection that continue to influence how food is grown in the state.
Highlighting the role of women farmers during the International Year of the Woman Farmer helps paint a clearer picture of agriculture in the Commonwealth. Women farmers are not a small group on the margins. They are a visible, steady, and essential part of Pennsylvania agriculture and integral to food production and local economies.
References
1 USDA Census of Agriculture, 2022
2 USDA Census of Agriculture Highlights: Female Producers, 2022
3 Murakami et al., Growing Growers: Community of Practice and Apprenticeship for Women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ Farmers, 2024
4 Whitley, An intersectional analysis of Black women's experiences with agriculture in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA), 2025
5 Whitley, Sustainable Urban Agriculture in Pennsylvania: Assessing Best Practices for Historically Marginalized Farmers, 2020
6 Trauger et al., "Our market is our community": Women farmers and civic agriculture in Pennsylvania, USA, 2010
7 Lacy and Key, Understanding Farm Diversity: Insights From the Agricultural Resource Management Survey, 2024
8 Becot et al., "The Source of All My Joy and All My Stress": Children and Childcare as Underappreciated Sources of Stress That Affect Farm Women, 2025
This article benefited from AI‑assisted writing support (Microsoft 365 Copilot) to refine language and identify some sources.
