U.S. Farm Women

Abstract

This article uses data from a 1980 national survey of farm women to describe the range of tasks and decisions in which they take part on their operations, some of the determinants of their participation, and the women's own feelings about the places they hold on their farms. These women were found to be involved in a wide range of farm tasks and decisions. The characteristics of the farm and farm labor force affected the extent of their involvement, as did factors that affect the extent of women's employment outside the home—education, age, presence of small children, husband's employment, experience, and region. These farm women tended to identify with their farms as a family unit and did not see themselves as some separate group called “farm women.” Yet over half said “yes” when asked if they considered themselves to be one of the farm's main operators, and over half said they could continue farming if something happened to their husbands.