Research into Women in Agriculture
At American Farmland Trust, Women for the Land uplifts women and gender expansive farmers, landowners, and aspiring farmers through a trusted model of peer-to-peer Learning Circles and supportive networks. Our programs are designed to meet women where they are – geographically, culturally, and experientially – ensuring that every participant feels empowered to thrive in agriculture and steward their land with confidence.
What Participants Are Telling Us
Overall, participants in our Women for the Land Learning Circles consistently report increased confidence in their ability to succeed in agriculture. Many describe their time with other producers and trainers as “inspirational”, and say they feel encouraged and experience ‘a feeling of hope and possibilities.’
These are more than just good feelings – they are signals of change in a system that often leaves women, nonbinary, and historically underserved producers out of decision making and access.
How We Measure Impact
Our program is deeply committed to assessing the outcomes of our efforts. We use qualitative and quantitative tools and collect data via surveys, interviews, and focus groups to help us track whether women farmers and agricultural service providers engaged in our work experience positive and transformative changes as a result. This data helps us adapt programming across regions where we work to develop programming to support participants in locally specific ways.
Rooted in Peer Networks
WFL relies on the peer network model to deliver impacts with women farmers and landowners. This work is grounded in the broader understanding of the power of peer networks and how they can foster change and lead to tangible impacts for agricultural producers, their communities, and the land they steward. These networks are a foundation for:
• Culturally relevant resource sharing
• Mutual aid and resilience, especially in times of climate, economic, or personal crisis
• Long-term leadership and community organizing
Women for the Land Learning Circles are led by trained facilitators and often include conservation district staff, USDA partners, and trusted local organizations. Together, they create a brave space for storytelling, technical assistance, and community-led problem solving.
Our Goals: A Logic Model for Change
Our program tracksour impacts associated with creating greater:
• Parity: Where women of all backgrounds receive more financial and technical resources.
• Power and Solidarity via Networks: Where women are taking on leadership, where they are informed and confident advocates for themselves and others in agriculture. Additionally, we foster greater connectivity across diverse groups of women in agriculture.
• Visibility: Where we foster broader coalitions to support women producers via programs, policies and community-based partnerships.
Overall, we emphasize storytelling that illustrates the diverse experience of women farmers, ranchers, and landowners across our regions.
Building a Stronger, More Equitable Agricultural Future
Whether through virtual Coffee Hours, on-farm Learning Circles, or region-specific cohort trainings, Women for the Land is helping to build agricultural systems where women and gender expansive farmers, ranchers, and landowners are leaders, collaborators, and decision makers. We believe that when women and gender-expansive folks thrive, their communities and the land benefit.
