COLUMBUS, Ohio – According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 41 percent of beginning farmers (those with 10 or fewer years of experience) are women. These statistics reflect a growing trend of women stepping into leadership roles in agriculture, bringing fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to the industry.

Key USDA findings show there are now 1.2 million female farmers, accounting for 36.3 percent of all U.S. producers. These women operate 407 million acres and generate $222 billion in agricultural sales.

Brandi Anderson, of Mechanicsburg, Ohio, is a perfect example. She found success by taking the reins of her family’s agribusiness operation 14 years ago.

Anderson is the owner of Women That Farm, a first-generation, family-run livestock farm in Champaign County.

Her husband, Nick, and his brother daily operate WTWM Enterprises, a company that pumps 100 million gallons of manure off farms each year. Nick puts in 50 hours a week at that job. That said, the farm operation falls solely in the hands of Brandi.

Brandi began her farming journey in 2012, inspired by her desire to raise her three daughters while working from home and providing families with high-quality, locally raised meats from her farm. Before having children, she managed a local grain elevator company for many years. But she wanted something better, bigger and more rewarding.

Brandi put her ideas into action. In 2015, Brandi quit her job as a grain elevator manager in London, Ohio, and began bolstering the farm. What started with a few calves and chickens has grown into a 13-acre farm with 100 black Angus cattle, 48 turkeys and 350 chickens, plus hogs kept at her sister-in-law’s farm.

“My husband and I grew up on dairy farms, so we had some experience from the start,” she admitted. 

As if the farm isn’t enough to keep her moving, Brandi squeezes in time to drive a school bus each day and coach sixth-grade volleyball.

“When we started our family, I knew I wanted to raise our children while working from home, instilling strong values and creating a life rooted in purpose,” she said. “That’s part of what led me to farming – providing families with high-quality, locally raised meats while building something meaningful for my own.

“It’s pretty intense around here for a family of five,” she said, adding that her daughters are ages 12, 11 and 10. “The girls pitch in around here and they’re learning the ropes as well.

“We have a lot of risk, but we never put all of our eggs in one basket. We’re pretty diversified, so when the market falls out of one part of our business we step up to the next one.”

The farm delivers meat and eggs twice a month to customers in the Hilliard-Dublin-Columbus area, and Brandi also appears at the Westgate Farmers Market. She fills about 40 orders every week, often booking butcher slots a year in advance due to high demand.

Brandi said she ensures 100 percent satisfaction with every order, with a promise built on several key values: uncompromised quality, customer-first commitment, sustainability and stewardship, ethical, humane farming, and real farming with real results.

“I want to be somebody’s farmer,” she said. “I want somebody to be able to put my fact with that protein that’s on their plate. We just want to build our dream, and that’s all we’ve done. We’re happy with our little piece of dirt. When you choose Women That Farm, you’re not just getting great meat, you’re supporting a first-generation farm built with grit, passion and plenty of heart.”

They also sell the beef directly to consumers. Brandi advertises it on social media and an email list. She said when people started seeing empty shelves at the grocery stores early in the pandemic, they turned to her and many other small farmers across the state.

“Our farm blends hands-on farming, community connection, and ethical livestock care, making an example of small-scale, sustainable agriculture in Ohio,” she said. “Farming isn’t always easy, but it’s what we love and we wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

The most recent data from the USDA 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.

The number of male producers has declined since 2007, while the share of female producers has increased in every Census since 2002.

Women farmers are most concentrated in livestock operations with smaller animals, specialty crops and greenhouse production, while they are least concentrated in large-scale commodity farming like oilseeds, grains and tobacco. Poultry and egg farming has a high share of women producers (43.2 percent), vegetable and melon farming (39.3 percent), greenhouse and floriculture production (38.3 percent) and fruit and nut farming (38.0 percent).

The Western U.S. and Northeast have the highest share of women farmers, with Arizona (47.9 percent) leading the nation, while the Midwest has the lowest, with Illinois (28 percent) at the bottom.