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Are you a Farmer? Exploring Women's Attitudes about the Farmer Identity

Mainstream agriculture has a particular dominating narrative that puts men at the forefront of today’s agricultural systems. My project seeks to challenge that narrative by highlighting women producers and investigating their identity as farmers. Under the mentorship of Dr. Katie Dentzman, I crafted a research question asking women to discuss their current attitudes regarding the farmer identity. This research was conducted through in-person and virtual interviews, using a pre-determined set of interview questions that were provided to the participants. Following the interviews, my notes were then transcribed and coded, where I identified three main themes from the research: (1) women who participate in (sustainable) agriculture are adamant about embracing the farmer identity, (2) patriarchal (current narrative) norms play a role in the woman farmer experience, and (3) non-white farmers continue to lack representation.

Dee