Prairie Post: Women are transforming agriculture, stepping into leadership roles and reshaping the future of farming across the U.S. Kevin Schulz,Editor,The Farmer. Gail Donkers is chairwoman of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council and is membership director of the Minnesota Farmers Union.Kevin Schulz. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to celebrate the contributions of women in agriculture. May’s special issue of The Farmer was a compilation of stories about women from across the country who have stepped out of the shadows, with some even stepping out on their own. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 36% of all U.S. farmers are women, and 41% of beginning farmers — those with 10 or fewer years of experience — are women. It is not uncommon for farmers to have off-farm employment, and Donkers is membership director of the Minnesota Farmers Union.