“Women’s involvement in agriculture helps to shift the emphasis from a way of making a living to a way of living.”
-Dr. Laura DeLind

- Michigan - United States - Worldwide

Who Are Women in Agriculture?

Michigan

Women agriculturalists in Michigan play an important role. According to the USDA's Economic Research Service, as of 2002, 11% of principal farm operators within Michigan were women. However, many women are not included in this statistic because the US statistics only allows for one person to be named as operator of the farm. Furthermore, many woman farmers make contributions that do not fit neatly into the "operator" category. Stephen Hoppe's 2001 report on characteristics of farms in the US states that "Women in farming have generally been characterized as helpmates to male operators (e.g. farm wives), and their contributions to farming have often been underestimated. Women contribute to farm businesses in a variety of ways, with responsibilities that include production, marketing, record keeping, and financial planning activities" (Sommer 2001:38). Unfortunately, the contributions women make to agriculture are understated in Michigan as well. This page aims to inform on the various important ways that women are involved in agriculture in Michigan, from owning and operating their own farms to researching and teaching on these issues.

Bios and Interviews of Michigan Women in Agriculture

Julie Slezak of Slezak Farms discusses her grass-based agriculture in Clarksville, Michigan.

Jane Bush of AppleSchram Orchard discusses her involvement in certified organic apple agriculture in Charlotte, Michigan.

Janet Allen of Laughing Acres Family Farm in East Lansing, Michigan, discusses the combination of her personal life as a vegetable grower and her professional career in contemporary medicine.

Sue Raker of Cloverland Apiary in Calumet, Michigan, discusses her experiences as a Michigan woman agriculturalist.

Merrill Clark of Roseland Organic Farms and the Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA) discusses organic agriculture and outreach.

Michigan State University's Women in Agriculture

Laura DeLind, PhD, Senior Specialist in the Department of Anthropology at Michigan State University, discusses community supported agriculture.

Sieglinde Snapp, PhD, Associate Professor of Horticulture/Crop and
Soil Sciences at Michigan State University, discusses her contributions to agriculture.

Alternative Agricultural Activities in Michigan

Located in Lansing, Michigan, the Allen Neighborhood Center serves as a hub for neighborhood education and capacity building. They offer activities that promote the health, safety, and stability of families and neighborhoods. Their Food Resource Project builds connections between East Side residents and Lansing farmers to bring fresh, local, and affordable produce into the neighborhood in order to promote food security. Their programs include a farmer's market, a CSA project, a youth garden project, and many more aimed at educating the public on food-related issues.

The Kalamazoo Community Gardens Initiative (KCGI) was created by Western Michigan University students to promote agricultural sustainability in the Kalamazoo area. Since then it has become an organization that assists neighborhoods in the creation of community and urban gardens. In the five years that the organization has been established, it has helped in the creation of seven community gardens.

The City of Detroit is involved in several alternative agriculture programs, including their Farm-A-Lot Program which was designed to help residents supplement their food budgets. The City of Detroit's Website offers a list of other environmental and agricultural programs the city is involved in.

The Greater Grand Rapids Food Systems Council (GGRFSC) is a grassroots organization dedicated to building a just and sustainable food system in west Michigan. The Food Systems Council is an initiative of the West Michigan Environmental Action Council, a 35-year-old nonprofit environmental education and advocacy organization. The organization's projects include a community gardens committee, the creation and maintenance of farmer's markets in the Grand Rapids area, and an annual conference to unite farmers, educators, activists, and more.

Growing Hope is dedicated to helping people improve their lives and communities through gardening. Based in Washtenaw County, Michigan, the organization works with neighborhoods, schools, community groups, and families to develop and sustain gardens. They build on the strengths of individuals and the community to bring the benefits of gardens to all.

Project Grow is a private, non-profit organization located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that enables urban residents to garden in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Project Grow provides community garden plots, education, and other resources to empower adults and children to work responsibly with the soil and plants in order to achieve a higher quality of life.

Information About Agriculture in Michigan

USA Today posted an article about the increase of women and Hispanics in agriculture, entitled "Women, Hispanics Put New Face on US Farming." It features stories about women farming in Michigan, pictures, and audio quotes, as well as a chart of the increase in women and Hispanic farmers in the US by state.

American Farmland Trust has compiled an "agricultural snapshot of Michigan" that includes a summary of the Michigan-based farming film "Red Barn," information on their completed Community Service Study in Calhoun County, and the Michigan Ultimate Farmland Preservation Tour.

Included in the "Michigan 2003-2004 Highlights" are summaries of production outcomes by commodity for the respective year. For more agricultural statistics on Michigan, visit the Michigan Agricultural Statistics Website.

"With These Hands" is a documentary devoted to telling the stories of four farming families in Northern Michigan. The focus is on the Michigan communities of the Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsulas.

Michigan State University's own Extension Website offers useful information and resources. Their mission is to help people improve their lives through an educational process that applies knowledge to critical needs, issues, and opportunities.

The Michigan Farm Radio Network has served as the voice of Michigan farm families for over 30 years. Janelle Brose, the station's director, is a graduate of Michigan State University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and a native of Michigan.

The Michigan Farmer's Union (MFU) is a member of the National Farmer's Union. The MFU recently elected their first woman president, Marilynn Momber.

The Institute of International Agriculture at Michigan State University serves to help promote, facilitate, expedite, and coordinate international development programs. Their programs include an MSU-US/China Rural Development Training Program, short courses, and information on topics such as biotechnology.

Michigan Ag Connection is a Website offering resources to the Michigan agricultural community, including legislative updates and news relevant to Michigan and the US. Michigan Ag Connection is a subsidiary of USAgnet.com.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture, in its dual role of regulator and marketer, provides Michigan citizens with quality services and information on agricultural products by working cooperatively with many state, federal, and local agencies and other organizations including universities, colleges, and associations.

Michigan Organic Food and Farm Alliance (MOFFA) teaches and advocates that local organic food systems create the necessary connections between healthy people, communities, and the earth.

Michigan Integrated Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) is a collaborative effort to create and support more sustainable food and agriculture systems for producers and consumers in Michigan.

Organic Growers of Michigan is a USDA certified network of organic growers and farmers with the purpose of providing various resources for those already involved in or wanting to begin organic growing.

The Michigan Land Use Institute was founded in 1995 to establish an approach to economic development that strengthens communities, enhances opportunity, and protects the state's unmatched natural resources. Information on growth and management, transportation, and land and water use are all provided with each area's relevant issues and ways to become actively involved.

City Pulse, a Lansing newspaper, features Michigan State University's Dr. Laura DeLind and Michigan organic farmer Jane Bush in an article entitled "Women Farmers in Michigan: 'Creating and Maintaining Community around Food, Farming and the Earth'."

References

El Nasser, Haya. 2004. "Women, Hispanics Put New Face on Farming." USA Today.

Rowan, Isabella J. 2004. "Women Farmers in Michigan: Creating and Maintaing Community Around Food, Farming and the Earth." City Pulse.

Sommer, Judith E. 2001. "Female Farm Operators and Their Farms." In Structural and Financial Characteristics of US Farms: 2001 Family Farm Report, edited by Robert A. Hoppe. Resource Economics Division, Economic Research Service, US Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 768.