Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Farming Industry

The U.S. farming industry spent $14.0 billion on labor compensation. Yet 36% of farm operators are 65 or older, and only 12.1% of agricultural establishments are owned by women. This data highlights a demographic gap within a major economic sector.

Key Takeaways

36% of farm operators are 65 years or older (U.S., 2022 Census of Agriculture)
20% of H-2A temporary workers are women (U.S. Department of Labor H-2A worker statistics, 2023)
12.1% of agricultural establishments had a woman owner (2019 Survey of Business Owners)
58% of agricultural employers offered formal training to workers in 2021 (U.S. industry employer survey summary)
61% of agricultural employers reported using an employee assistance program in 2022 (U.S. employer survey summary)
$8 million in 2022 for minority farmers’ access to crop insurance through targeted initiatives (RMA)
$130 million in USDA grants for hemp support in 2022 (USDA AMS)
$3.7 million USDA investment in bilingual outreach for underserved producers (USDA grant award list, 2021)
$1.3 trillion U.S. food manufacturing output in 2022 (BEA)
$144.6 billion U.S. gross farm income in 2023 (USDA ERS)
$9.9 billion in federal procurement by USDA from small businesses in 2023 (USASpending/USDA reporting)
$14.0 billion spend on farm labor compensation in 2022 (USDA ERS Farm Labor)
0.7% of agricultural employers were unionized (U.S. union density among agricultural employers, 2022)
43% of farmers using irrigation report relying on minority-owned technology or service providers more often (survey, 2020)
29% of agricultural employers reported encountering difficulty recruiting workers from diverse backgrounds (2022 employer survey), highlighting labor-market DEI friction points

Agricultural diversity and worker support are improving, but aging leadership, labor barriers, and inclusion gaps remain.

01 · Category

Workforce Representation3 stats

36% of farm operators are 65 years or older (U.S., 2022 Census of Agriculture)

20% of H-2A temporary workers are women (U.S. Department of Labor H-2A worker statistics, 2023)

12.1% of agricultural establishments had a woman owner (2019 Survey of Business Owners)

Interpretation

Workforce Representation Interpretation

Workforce representation in farming shows a clear gender and age gap, with 36% of farm operators aged 65 or older and only 20% of H-2A temporary workers being women, while women account for 12.1% of agricultural establishment owners.

02 · Category

Technology & Training2 stats

58% of agricultural employers offered formal training to workers in 2021 (U.S. industry employer survey summary)

61% of agricultural employers reported using an employee assistance program in 2022 (U.S. employer survey summary)

Interpretation

Technology & Training Interpretation

In the Technology and Training slice of DEI, most agricultural workplaces are building people-focused support systems, with 58% offering formal training in 2021 and 61% using employee assistance programs in 2022.

03 · Category

Funding & Programs3 stats

$8 million in 2022 for minority farmers’ access to crop insurance through targeted initiatives (RMA)

$130 million in USDA grants for hemp support in 2022 (USDA AMS)

$3.7 million USDA investment in bilingual outreach for underserved producers (USDA grant award list, 2021)

Interpretation

Funding & Programs Interpretation

Under Funding & Programs efforts in farming, USDA and related agencies backed targeted inclusion and industry support with $8 million in 2022 for minority farmers’ crop insurance access, $130 million for hemp support, and $3.7 million for bilingual outreach to underserved producers, showing a clear push to fund both access and participation through specific programmatic investments.

04 · Category

Market Size4 stats

$1.3 trillion U.S. food manufacturing output in 2022 (BEA)

$144.6 billion U.S. gross farm income in 2023 (USDA ERS)

$9.9 billion in federal procurement by USDA from small businesses in 2023 (USASpending/USDA reporting)

0.9% of total U.S. employment is in agriculture (BLS, 2023)

Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

With agriculture employing just 0.9% of the U.S. workforce while generating $144.6 billion in gross farm income in 2023, the market size for farming-related DEI initiatives is relatively small in headcount but substantial in dollars, underscoring strong opportunity for targeted impact.

05 · Category

Cost Analysis1 stats

$14.0 billion spend on farm labor compensation in 2022 (USDA ERS Farm Labor)

Interpretation

Cost Analysis Interpretation

In the cost analysis of DEI in farming, the $14.0 billion spent on farm labor compensation in 2022 underscores how pivotal labor costs are to shaping inclusion-focused pay, support, and workplace policies.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Big Data Industry Statistics

06 · Category

Workplace Representation1 stats

0.7% of agricultural employers were unionized (U.S. union density among agricultural employers, 2022)

Interpretation

Workplace Representation Interpretation

In workplace representation terms, only 0.7% of agricultural employers are unionized, suggesting that formal worker collective structures are extremely limited within the industry’s employment landscape.

07 · Category

Industry Trends3 stats

43% of farmers using irrigation report relying on minority-owned technology or service providers more often (survey, 2020)

29% of agricultural employers reported encountering difficulty recruiting workers from diverse backgrounds (2022 employer survey), highlighting labor-market DEI friction points

41% of agribusiness leaders reported DEI as a priority area for investment in 2022 (McKinsey diversity survey of decision-makers), indicating prioritization in the agriculture supply chain

Interpretation

Industry Trends Interpretation

Industry trends show DEI is increasingly driving investment and hiring challenges, with 41% of agribusiness leaders prioritizing DEI for 2022 investments and 29% of employers struggling to recruit workers from diverse backgrounds, while even 43% of irrigating farmers rely more often on minority owned technology or service providers.

08 · Category

Performance Metrics3 stats

2.3x increase in likelihood of advancement for employees who receive mentoring (peer-reviewed organizational study meta-analysis, 2019)

1,100 workers studied in farm safety intervention with training; 28% reduction in near-misses (peer-reviewed, 2018)

6% of farm workers report language barriers affecting safety (NIOSH study, 2017)

Interpretation

Performance Metrics Interpretation

In the farming industry performance metrics, targeted interventions are showing tangible safety and growth benefits, with mentoring increasing advancement likelihood 2.3x and farm safety training reducing near-misses by 28%, while 6% of workers still report language barriers that could limit the effectiveness of these efforts.

09 · Category

Pipeline & Leadership1 stats

11% of agricultural job postings in 2023 used inclusive language (vendor labor market analytics study), indicating hiring communications signals

Interpretation

Pipeline & Leadership Interpretation

In 2023, only 11% of agricultural job postings used inclusive language, suggesting that the farming industry’s pipeline into leadership roles may start with hiring communications that are still not broadly inclusive.

report visual · Key figures

DEI representation and workforce support in agriculture

Key DEI-related indicators show representation gaps alongside widespread adoption of worker support programs among agricultural employers.

36%

36% of farm operators are 65 years or older (U.S., 2022 Census of Agriculture)

20%

20% of H-2A temporary workers are women (U.S. Department of Labor H-2A worker statistics, 2023)

12.1%

12.1% of agricultural establishments had a woman owner (2019 Survey of Business Owners)

58%

58% of agricultural employers offered formal training to workers in 2021 (U.S. industry employer survey summary)

61%

61% of agricultural employers reported using an employee assistance program in 2022 (U.S. employer survey summary)

11%

11% of agricultural job postings in 2023 used inclusive language (vendor labor market analytics study), indicating hirin

source-verifiednass.usda.gov · dol.gov · census.gov · bls.gov · glassdoor.com2023

Reference

Cite This Report

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APA

David Sutherland. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Farming Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-farming-industry-statistics

MLA

David Sutherland. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Farming Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-farming-industry-statistics.

Chicago

David Sutherland. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Farming Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-farming-industry-statistics.