June Yard and Garden Tips
(http://www.clemson.edu/laurens)
Watch out for:
Flowers
Fruits
Lawns
Trees
Vegetables
Things to do:
Fruits
Lawns
Ponds
Trees
Vegetables
All pamphlets referenced in this calendar may be found online: http://www.clemson.edu/hgic.
The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
Women Make Up 35.4% of Farmers in South Carolina
A new study on behalf of Trace One has identified the U.S. states and counties with the highest representation of female farmers.
As Women’s History Month highlights the contributions of women across industries, a quiet transformation is unfolding in American agriculture. Female farmers are taking on a larger role in shaping the future of farming, contributing to both local economies and national food production.
Recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture 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. As this shift continues, certain parts of the country stand out for having a higher concentration of female farmers.
This report, conducted by food and beverage software provider Trace One, examines where women are making the biggest impact in agriculture, analyzing the states with the highest share of female producers and female-operated farms.
The Growing Number of Female Farmers in the U.S.
Source: Trace One analysis of USDA data
Over the past two decades, the share of female farmers in the United States has steadily increased. According to data from the most recent Census of Agriculture, women now make up more than a third of all agricultural producers, a notable rise from 26.9% in 2002.
A key turning point came with the 2017 Census of Agriculture, which expanded the definition of producers to provide a more comprehensive picture of the people involved in farm decision-making. As a result, the recorded number of female producers increased significantly from 969,672 in 2012 to 1,227,461 in 2017, in part due to this broader definition.
Despite this change in methodology, the data also shows a clear long-term trend: the number of male producers has been declining since 2007, when it peaked at 2.3 million. By 2022, that number had fallen to 2.15 million, continuing a downward trajectory. Meanwhile, the share of female producers has grown consistently across every Census—from 30.0% in 2007 to 30.5% in 2012, even before the definitional change in 2017 pushed it higher to 36.1%. The 2022 Census confirmed that this upward trend has continued, with women now accounting for 36.3% of all producers.
Female Farmers by Industry
Source: Trace One analysis of USDA data
While there are a record number of female farmers in the U.S., their presence varies significantly across different farming industries. Female producers are most concentrated in livestock operations involving smaller animals, specialty crops, and greenhouse production, while they have lower representation in large-scale commodity farming.
Women have the highest representation in sheep and goat farming, where they make up 46.1% of all producers, followed closely by aquaculture and other animal production (44.9%). This category includes horse farming, which has historically had strong female participation. Poultry and egg farming also has a high share of female producers (43.2%). While large-scale poultry production is dominated by major agribusinesses, smaller-scale poultry operations—such as those focused on pasture-raised eggs, organic poultry, or specialty breeds—are also common.
Additionally, female producers are well represented in vegetable and melon farming (39.3%), greenhouse and floriculture production (39.3%), and fruit and tree nut farming (38.0%). These sectors frequently involve intensive management, diversified crop production, and specialty markets, which may attract more women.
In contrast, female representation is lower in commodity crop production and large-scale livestock operations. Women account for just 27.5% of cotton farmers, 25.9% of oilseed and grain producers, and only 21.2% of tobacco farmers—the lowest share among all major agricultural sectors. Similarly, industries that require large-scale infrastructure, such as cattle feedlots (28.4%) and dairy farming (29.9%), have lower female participation rates.
The Concentration of Female Farmers by State & County
Source: Trace One analysis of USDA data
Female farmers are not evenly distributed across the country. The western United States and the Northeast have the highest concentrations of female producers, while much of the Midwest and parts of the Southeast have the lowest.
Arizona leads the nation, with 47.9% of its agricultural producers being women. Other western states also rank high, including Alaska (47.6%), Oregon (44.0%), and Nevada (42.7%). In the Northeast, states such as New Hampshire (44.8%), Maine (43.1%), and Rhode Island (42.9%) also have a high share of female producers. These regions tend to have a greater proportion of smaller farms, direct-to-consumer markets, and diversified operations, which may offer more opportunities for women.
In contrast, the Midwest has the lowest share of female farmers, with the bottom five states being Illinois (28.0%), North Dakota (29.9%), Minnesota (31.0%), South Dakota (31.2%), and Iowa (32.7%). The Southeast also has relatively lower concentrations, with North Carolina (33.3%), Mississippi (34.4%), Alabama (34.7%), and several other southern states ranking below the national average. These regions are home to large-scale commodity crop operations—such as corn, soybeans, and commercial livestock—which historically have had lower female representation.
County-level data reinforces these trends. Among the nation’s largest agricultural counties, Coconino County, AZ (52.9%) has the highest share among large counties, followed closely by Apache County, AZ (52.6%) and Navajo County, AZ (51.0%). These counties include tribal lands, where women often play a significant role in agriculture, and also contain some of the highest concentrations of small farms in the country. Other counties with a high proportion of female farmers include Pierce County, WA (49.5%); Deschutes County, OR (49.2%); and McKinley County, NM (49.1%), reinforcing the regional trend of stronger female representation in the West.
Here is a summary of the data for South Carolina:
For reference, here are the statistics for the entire United States:
Methodology
The data in this study was sourced from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Census of Agriculture, specifically the most recent 2022 edition, which was released in 2024. Researchers at Trace One analyzed the data to determine the states and counties with the highest representation of female farmers. This was measured in two ways: the proportion of total agricultural producers who are women and the percentage of farms classified as female-operated. According to the USDA, a producer is defined as any individual actively involved in making decisions for a farming operation. A female-operated farm, meanwhile, is one in which at least one producer is a woman.
The analysis includes national-level data, all 50 states, and counties with available information. However, due to missing data or modifications in geographic definitions, counties in Alaska and Connecticut were excluded from the county-level findings. To allow for meaningful comparisons, counties were categorized based on their number of agricultural producers: small (fewer than 1,000 producers), midsize (1,000 to 2,500 producers), and large (more than 2,500 producers).
USDA and South Carolina Department of Agriculture Award $4.1 Million to Strengthen Food Supply Chain Infrastructure
COLUMBIA – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service has partnered with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture to award $4.1 million for 26 projects through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program. The 26 projects consist of four infrastructure projects and 22 equipment projects to build resilience along the middle of the supply chain while strengthening local and regional food systems.
“We‘ve learned that the American food supply chain is strongest when it’s diversified, and when local farmers and other business owners have some ‘skin in the game,’” said South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers. “These RFSI grants will empower South Carolina agribusinesses to help each other serve new markets, scale up their operations, and create an adaptable food system.”
The grants will support expanded capacity for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally produced food products, including specialty crops, dairy, grains and other row crops for human consumption, aquaculture, and other food products, excluding meat and poultry, and wild-caught seafood.
Projects include:
Visit agriculture.sc.gov/rfsi for more information. This project is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
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New Stockyard Serves SC Saluda Livestock Exchange Opened in 2024 By Eva Moore The energy of a livestock auction is palpable. There’s excitement in the air — and the clanging of gates, the auctioneer’s chant, and lots of mooing. Buyers find seats in the front rows, while sellers and other spectators fill the upper stands or lean against walls watching the action in the ring. Saluda Livestock Exchange is the newest stockyard in the nation. It was opened in 2024 by Wes Weeks, Joseph Coleman, and Tammie Shore. After Joseph’s father retired from the stockyard business, his son wanted to start his own livestock auction facility. He teamed up with auctioneer Wes Weeks and began searching for a site. Between cattle farming and development pressures, affordable land can be hard to find in the Saluda area. That’s when Tammie got involved. Her father owned a stockyard when she was growing up. Her husband runs a cattle operation in Saluda, South Carolina, while Tammie worked for 31 years in education, retiring as a school principal. When she heard Joseph and Wes wanted to build a new livestock auction facility, she thought of the land she and her husband own across the road from their farm. “I said, ‘If you’re looking for a third partner, we’ve got a deal,’” she explains. Before building the facility, the team did their homework, visiting barns in other states and taking notes. For example, the Saluda Livestock Exchange ring has cabling all the way to the ground in front, affording buyers a good view of the entire animal — an idea they picked up on a visit to Alabama. When designing the holding pens and loading areas, they drew out on a grid which way each gate would open, planning a streamlined flow of animals and people to minimize stress. The water tanks refill automatically. At one end of the facility is a pull-through chute for unloading animals. Building the stockyard was “a good community effort,” Tammie says. Inside the facility, a cheerful reception area gives way to the Buyers Room and a dining area. While many barns have an in-house restaurant, the Saluda partners opted to bring in a food truck so they could focus their efforts on the livestock part of the business. Co-owner Wes Weeks is one of three auctioneers who work sales at the barn. He’s spent a life in the cattle business — in fact, he says he’s wanted to be an auctioneer since kindergarten. For Tammie, the stockyard gives her an opportunity to use the communication and leadership skills she developed in her school career. “Farmers are some of the best people on earth. I love working with them,” she says. Since opening in July, Saluda Livestock Exchange has averaged 700 head of cattle per Monday sale, with around 16–20 buyers usually attending. On one Saturday a month, they hold a small animal auction. The partners are also working to promote better livestock health — which can translate to better prices at auction. They started an educational series, which debuted with a recent Herd Health Management session. They’re planning future sessions on soil management, and on sheep and goat health. Teams from the stockyard are also available to visit farms. “We are here for our farmers — anything we can do to bridge that gap,” Tammie says. Saluda Livestock Exchange is at 4444 McCormick Highway (US 378) in Saluda, SC. Sales are held every Monday at 11 a.m., with a small animal sale every second Saturday of the month at 11 a.m. Reach the barn at 864-554-2199. |
