To celebrate women’s contributions to the global food system, the United Nations has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Throughout the year, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and California Grown are encouraging their partners to look at how women are shaping agriculture in the Golden State.

California is home to more than 45,000 women producers, who collectively steward more than 11 million acres of farmland, according to California’s Year of the Woman Farmer website. Many more women are conducting the agricultural research that keeps women farmers competitive and sustainable.

If you would like to participate in the International Year of the Woman Farmer campaign, add the hashtags #IYWF2026 and #YearOfTheWomanFarmer to your social media posts about women in farming. If you don’t have a social media account for work and have a good story to share, send an email to contentpipeline@ucanr.edu. 

The campaign is being led by Cherie Watte, executive director of California Grown, so you can also tag @cagrownofficial in social media posts about International Year of the Woman Farmer.

Read more about the International Year of the Woman Farmer campaign at https://plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov/wordpress/?p=29767.