The most recent Ag Census showed a 27 percent increase in the number of women managing or operating farms and ranches. Coupled with this, more women than ever are involved in other agricultural careers or studying agriculture in post-secondary institutions. As the number of women involved in agriculture increases Annie’s Project is taking a closer look at agricultural women’s involvement with its new survey, the Agriculture Women’s Community & Leadership Survey. The survey is sponsored by Annie’s Project and Farm Credit, and the results will be used to help design educational programs to expand women’s involvement in their communities and agricultural organizations.
Annie’s Project empowers farm and ranch women and growers to be better business partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information. Farm Credit is a nationwide network of 72 customer-owned financial institutions that provide loans and related financial services to U.S. farmers and ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives and other agribusinesses, rural homebuyers and rural infrastructure providers. Farm Credit works along side Annie’s Project to provide business materials for women in agriculture.
“Our interest is to strengthen rural and agricultural communities by tapping into the talents of the women living and working there”, says Doris Mold, Annie’s Project Co-CEO. Dr. Karisha Devlin, Annie’s Project Co-CEO adds, “It is critical for us to also develop an understanding of the tools that they need to become more effective leaders in their communities.”
Anyone with an interest in women’s agricultural leadership is encouraged to take the survey. The survey is open through August 20 and may be found here. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes and all responses are anonymous.
