Overcoming Challenges and Cultivating Resilience Farmer Panel + Discussion

Wednesday, Sept. 11, 3 to 7 p.m. at Wild Hill Farm in Bloomfield, NY

Join us at our next Learning Circle to hear from women farmers who are successfully balancing childcare, off-farm jobs, navigating grants/loans, and adapting to change. Bring your questions! We will tour Wild Hill, an organic vegetable CSA farm, and share a delicious dinner featuring local produce. Register below.

• Soil health and fertility recommendations
• Nutrient management
• Cover crop guidance
• Crop rotation planning
• Conservation planning
• Water resource management
• Navigating state and federal financial assistance programs

Caitlin Tucker                                                        Agricultural Stewardship Associate, Western NY     Certified Crop Advisor - Northeast Region                Phone: 315-679-4772                                            Email: ctucker@farmland.org

Ben Roosa                                                            Agricultural Stewardship Associate, Central NY         Phone: 315-326-1687                                            Email: broosa@farmand.org

New Study Shines Light on LGBTQ+ Farmer Mental Health 

LGBTQ+ farmers are an active and important part of the agricultural industry but there has been very little research that looks at how farm stress and mental health impact these communities. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has published a new study that shines a light on this topic.

They found that LGBTQ+ people involved in farm work are over three times more likely to experience depression and suicidal intent and about two and a half times more likely to experience anxiety than the general population. While they experience many of the same stressors as their straight and cisgender peers, LGBTQ+ farmers have added stress from the uncertainty of whether non-LGBTQ+ people will be friendly and supportive. 

The authors also created several fact sheets based on this research, as well as resources for allies in the farming community who want to support LGBTQ+ farm workers. Their advice includes adapting language to be more inclusive of non-cisheteronormative gender and relationship statuses; engaging in allyship or cultural competency trainings; and offering equitable resources and support to everyone.

They offer the following resources for LGBTQ+ farmers and for those struggling with mental health:

• The Queer Farmer Network
• The Cultivating Change Foundation
• Concern Hotline, 1-800-447-1985
• Trans Lifeline, 877-565-8860
• National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988
• Crisis Text Line, 741741

International Year of the Woman Farmer, 2026

On May 2, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. The resolution, and the U.S. government’s efforts to generate support for it, was spearheaded by USDA and garnered more than 100 co-sponsors, underscoring the global importance of uplifting women throughout the agriculture sector.

The worldwide observance will call attention to the vital role that women play in global food and agricultural production. Women are responsible for roughly half of the world’s food production, and in many countries they produce between 60 and 80 percent of the food. Yet globally, the prevalence of food insecurity is higher among women than men.

By shining a spotlight on women’s role in farming across the world, the International Year of the Woman Farmer will also raise awareness of constraints women face in areas including property rights and land tenure, access to credit and markets, and lack of technical and educational support. It will emphasize, as well, the importance of women in leadership roles to better ensure representation at the highest levels of decision-making. 

To learn more about this resolution and the Call to Action, visit the link below. 

'Our Farms, Our Future' Exhibit Opens in Saratoga Springs on Oct. 3 - Nov. 1

"Our Farms, Our Future" tells the story of New York’s farms in transition, as a third of our state’s farmers are now 65 and older and own two million acres of farmland that will be changing hands in the coming years. Building on the work of AFT’s previous photo exhibit in the Great Lakes region, “Our Farms, Our Future” is focused on the stories of keeping land in farming and of passing it on to a new generation, both within and outside of the traditional family farm. Increasingly, a diverse new generation is looking to farm, including women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ folks, and others who have been historically underserved by agricultural programs and continue to face barriers to get into farming. We will feature the poignant images of farmers who are both entering and exiting the field and supplement the collection with written stories and select audio/video recordings of these farmers, capturing this critical moment in time.

Join our Women for the Land Mighty Networks Community!

Our Women for the Land - New York team invites you to join our Mighty Networks Community. Mighty Networks is a free online community platform that allows us to deepen our connections with each other. As a member of this community, you can expect:

• Universal access to Learning Circle resources. Learning Circles are informal, peer-to-peer networking events facilitated by highly skilled discussion leaders and technical service providers focusing on a topic of interest to women in agriculture in New York. 

• Networking with fellow women farmers and landowners across New York! This platform is a place for you to ask questions, share stories, and grow relationships. 

• Opportunities to inform future Women for the Land programming. As we expand our programming across New York through Learning Circles, farm tours, policy work, and other events, you can expect opportunities to share feedback, topics of interest, priorities, and more. 

• Access to the WFL National Network and Special Interest Communities. View announcements, updates, and activities happening across other regions.