The total number of farms in the U.S. is decreasing. But the number of women-led farms has increased, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
As WBAY reports, the percentage of primary farm operators who are women has doubled in the past 20 years. The share of farms owned by women is up to 14 percent now, according to the last census by the USDA.
Wendy Boe, owner of Wennepher Farms in Crivitz, Wisconsin, is one of those businesspeople. Tired of dealing with health issues and needing a cleaner diet, Boe started her own farming operation. She says her grandmother couldn’t even balance her own checkbook. Boe added that, over the past 50 years, women have taken control of their own finances. She said she doesn’t believe in stereotypes, adding “The best mechanic I know is a woman.”