There was a time when women in agriculture were introduced as “the farmer’s wife.” We were the ones who helped with the books, ran the Facebook page, or worked the register during busy season. Our work was visible, but our leadership was often softened or minimized. That era is ending.

On most farms, the workday doesn’t follow a clock. Calving doesn’t wait for daycare drop-off. Weather windows don’t align with preschool pickup. Planting and harvest move when conditions demand, not when childcare is available.

For women in agriculture, access to reliable childcare is not a convenience. It is infrastructure. And across rural America, that infrastructure is increasingly strained.

When you think of a farmer, who do you picture? This year, we find ourselves in a moment of global reflection and celebration: the United Nations has designated this year as the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF). This designation recognizes the indispensable, yet often overlooked, roles women play across agrifood systems worldwide. It’s a call to highlight their contributions, shed light on inequalities, and commit to tangible actions that strengthen women’s empowerment in agriculture.