By Audrey Kolde, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
My experience in farming started at the hand-tool scale. I enjoy the physical labor, that tangible connection to the land. But years of repetitive movement have started to catch up with me. My love of farming hasn’t changed as the aches and pains have increased—in fact, it has grown. I want to produce even more food to feed my community. I want to grow crops that are calorie- and nutrient-dense, and store well, like beans, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and dent corn—but these require a lot of land. They are cornerstones of the American diet that small-scale gardens often can’t keep up with.
With these crops in mind, my farming partner and I have started the journey to transition part of our land to tractor farming. It is a work in progress. As two women running a farm, we started to think more about why more women aren’t transitioning from small- to mid-scale operations. Women represent 9% of primary farmers in small-scale farms ($100,000-$350,000) and 5% of primary farmers in mid-scale operations ($350,000-$1,000,000). Women have continued farming in small-scale and traditional systems that involve a lot of manual labor and require physical strength. However, mechanization and technology like tractors offer women the chance to broaden their opportunities in agriculture.
Increase Productivity
One major reason to adopt tractor farming is that it makes it possible to cultivate larger areas in less time, with less hired help, and less backbreaking work. Mechanizing tasks like bed shaping, planting, and cultivation is game-changing. Using tractors increases productivity and efficiency, leading to bigger harvests, better quality produce, and access to lucrative markets that require a larger volume of products.
Improve Profitability
Tractors can make it easier for women to grow their businesses and achieve financial independence, helping to close the gender gap in agricultural productivity and land ownership. According to the 2012 Farm Census, female farmers in the United States earn about 40% less than male farmers. As women earn more, they can reinvest in their businesses by buying more equipment, diversifying their crops, or improving how they market their products. This economic freedom allows women to become successful agricultural entrepreneurs.
Improve Farmer Health
One of the biggest benefits of using a tractor for me is that it reduces the need for so much heavy (and expensive, if hired out) manual labor. I am all too aware of the back pain that planting, weeding, and harvesting crops can lead to. By using tractors, women can better manage their health while increasing their farm’s productivity. Tasks you wouldn’t immediately think of, like moving tarps and weights, are much easier with tractors. I once even moved a walk-behind tractor with a riding tractor.
Improve Conservation Practices
As an added bonus, tractors have so many attachments that can help with conservation practices. Proper tilling and cultivation help with pest management. No-till drills and roller crimpers make cover cropping easier. And the world of precision farming methods, like GPS and sensors, save water, use fewer chemicals, and enhance crop yields with less environmental harm.
Barriers
Unlike seed packets and wheel hoes, financing tractors costs more than a pretty penny. Tractors require capital to purchase, rent, or borrow. Women will likely need to find financial help through affordable loans from institutions such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency, Women’s Business Center, or the Small Business Administration, or grants through organizations like USDA Rural Development, National Women’s Business Council, RAFI, and American Farmland Trust’s Brighter Future Fund.
Another barrier is knowledge. Tractor operation is a skill that can be intimidating to learn. Organizations like NCAT and Extension Services are trying to overcome this barrier by training new farmers on how to operate tractors, maintain equipment, and use sustainable practices. Experienced farmers are also an invaluable source of knowledge, and now is the time for those skilled in using tractors to pass their knowledge on to the next generation. The generational transition in farming is coming, and our ability to maintain a steady food supply will require a smooth transition, passing the torch to well-trained hands.
Conclusion
Tractors, used responsibly, can turn more acres into productive, sustainable land, reducing food insecurity and improving the local economy in communities. By overcoming a few barriers, women farmers can improve their profitability and increase their chances of long-term health and success.
ATTRA Resources
Maintaining Your Tractor – Building Your Toolbox
Scaling Up Your Vegetable Farm for Regional Markets
Equipment and Tools for Small-Scale Intensive Crop Production
NCAT Highlights Safety Resources During Farm Safety and Health Week
Other Resources
American Farmland Trust’s Research into Women in Agriculture
The State of Gender Equity in U.S. Agriculture (pdf)
Sources
Dentzman, K. and Lewin, P. (2024), A Fair Comparison: Women’s and Men’s Farms at Seven Scales in the United States. Rural Sociology, 89: 3-39. https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.12512https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.12512
Schmidt, C., Goetz, S. J., & Tian, Z. (2021). Female farmers in the United States: Research needs and policy questions. Food Policy, 102039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102039
