Top States

Female Producers, 2017

(as percent of total state producers)

Arizona 49

Alaska 47

New Hampshire 46

Oregon 44

Maine 44

Massachusetts 44

Washington 42

Nevada 42

Colorado 42

Vermont 42

Female Producers

ACH17-11/October 2019

Highlights More than half of farms have at least one female producer

United States Department of Agriculture

National Agricultural Statistics Service www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

1.2 million 

female producers

388 million 

acres

$148 billion

agriculture sales 

In 2017, the United States had 1.2 million female producers, accounting for 36 

percent of the country’s 3.4 million producers. Female producers are slightly 

younger, more likely to be a beginning farmer, and more likely to live on 

the farm they operate than male producers. More than half of all farms (56 

percent) had a female producer. These female-operated farms accounted for 

38 percent of U.S. agriculture sales and 43 percent of U.S. farmland.

Number and Location

The 2017 Census of Agriculture revised 

the demographic data collected to 

better capture the contributions of 

all persons involved in agricultural 

production. In response to detailed 

questions about farm decision 

making, more farms reported multiple 

individuals involved in farm operations.

As a result of the new approach to 

counting producers, the total number 

of U.S. producers increased 7 percent 

between 2012 and 2017. The number of 

female producers increased 27 percent. 

The number of farms with female 

producers increased 23 percent.

In 2017, female-operated farms – the 

1.1 million farms with one or more 

female producers responsible for 

making decisions about the farm’s 

operation – were 56 percent of total 

farms. In comparison, 91 percent of 

farms had one or more male producers.

Number of Producers and Farms, Female and All U.S. 

2012 2017 % change

Producers

Female 969,672 1,227,461 +27

All U.S. 3,180,074 3,399,834 +7

Farms

Female-operated 923,945 1,139,675 +23

All U.S. 2,109,303 2,042,220 -3

9 The percent of farms run 

entirely by women.

Counties with the 

highest proportion 

of female-operated 

farms were largely 

in the West and 

Northeast.

Counties with the 

lowest proportion 

were in the Midwest, 

the northern Plains, 

and the Mississippi 

Delta.

Female-operated Farms as Percent of Total Farms, by County, 2017 

U.S. = 56

< 40

40 - 49

50 - 54

55 - 59

60 - 69

70 +

38 The percent of female producers in Texas, which has 

156,233 female producers, more than any other state.
About the Census

The Census of Agriculture, conducted 

once every five years, is a complete 

count of U.S. farms and ranches and 

the people who operate them. Results 

from the 2017 and earlier censuses 

are available at national, state, and 

county levels. 

See the searchable database Quick 

Stats, the new Census Data Query Tool, 

downloadable PDF reports, maps, and 

a variety of topic-specific products 

including profiles by race, ethnicity, 

and sex.

www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus

SNAPSHOT

Female Producers, 2017

Number = 1,227,461*

Female Male

(percent)

Age

<35 8 8

35 - 64 60 57

65+ 32 35

Years farming

10 or less 30 25

11 or more 70 75

Lived on their farm 79 72

Worked off farm

No days 39 38

1 to 199 days 22 21

200+ days 39 41

Primary occupation

Farming 33 46

Other 67 54

Race

American Ind/Alaska Native 2.2 1.5

Asian 0.8 0.6

Black/African American 1.1 1.5

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Isl 0.1 0.1

White 95.0 95.6

More than one race 0.8 0.7

Hispanic 3 3

With military service 2 16

Average age (years) 57.1 57.7

*Data collected for up to four producers per farm.

Source: USDA NASS, 2017 Census of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Producer Characteristics

Female producers are slightly younger on average than male producers (57.1 

years versus 57.7 in 2017) and more likely to be a beginning farmer (30 percent 

of female and 25 percent of male producers had farmed 10 years or fewer). 

They were more likely to live on the farm they operated and 

less likely to report farming as their primary occupation.

Farm Characteristics

Female-operated farms sold $148 billion in agricultural products in 2017, with 49 percent 

($73 billion) in crop sales and 51 percent ($75 billion) in sales of livestock and livestock 

products. These farms accounted for 38 percent of total U.S. agriculture sales. They received 

$4 billion in government payments.

36

The percent of all U.S. 

producers who are female.

Nineteen percent of 

female-operated farms 

had sales and government 

payments of more than 

$50,000, compared with 26 

percent of male-operated 

farms. Sixty-two percent 

of female-operated farms 

had sales and payments of 

less than $10,000.

Most female producers operate farms 

that have more than one producer. Of 1.2 

million female producers, 

13 percent operated farms in 2017 on 

which they were the only producer.

Female-operated and Male-operated Farms by Economic Class, 2017 (percent)

(sales and government payments combined)

< $1,000

$1,000 to $4,999

$5,000 to $9,999

$10,000 to $49,999

$50,000 +

Male

Female

27

23

12

19

19

22

21

11

20

26

Female producers were 

most involved in dayto-day decisions and 

record keeping/financial 

management.

Male producers 

had higher rates of 

involvement than female 

producers in land use/

crop decisions and in 

livestock decisions.

Farm Decision Making

The 2017 Census collected first-ever data on the decisions producers make. 

The graph shows for each type of decision, the percent of female producers 

and percent of male producers who make those decisions.

Male

Female

92

57

75

65

83

78

55

74

55

Land use/crop 59

decisions

Livestock 

decisions

Record keeping/ 

nancial management

Estate planning/ 

succession planning

Day-to-day 

decisions

No. of

Producers

on Farm

Female 

 (1.2 mil)

Male 

(2.2 mil)

(percent)

One 13 36

Two 69 47

Three or four 16 15

Five + 2 2