NASDA Launches International Year of the Woman Farmer to Celebrate Women’s Global Impact in Agriculture

NASDA declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer. President Amanda Beal joins us to share NASDA’s new hub, which highlights the impact of women in agriculture worldwide.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — The year 2026 has been designated as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, shining a global spotlight on the contributions and leadership of women in agriculture. As part of that effort, a new information hub has been launched to elevate the stories and impact of women across the ag sector worldwide.

Amanda Beal, president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, joined us on Wednesday’s Market Day Report to discuss the initiative and what it means for agriculture.

In an interview with RFD NEWS, Beal discussed the importance of the International Year of the Woman Farmer and why recognizing women’s roles in agriculture is critical to the industry’s future. She also outlined details of NASDA’s newly launched information hub and what resources and information it will provide.

Beal shared additional initiatives planned for the yearlong celebration and shared what is top of mind for her as she continues advocating for farmer priorities amid an already eventful year for agriculture.

Related Stories
RanchHER Jessie Jarvis is a third-generation Idaho cattle rancher and an esteemed figure in the ag industry and Western world. She seamlessly balances her roles as a business owner, influencer, podcast host, public speaker, rancher, wife and mother.
Janie spends a day-in-the-life with “Of the West” founder & influencer Jessie Jarvis, for a bit of work along the historic Oregon Trail.
RanchHERs Penny Kasun and Dani Jeanne Lawrence of 7-Up Ranch in Prescott, Arizona, joined us Monday on Market Day Report to discuss the next all-new episode of the show.

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD News and FarmHER + RanchHER. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, bringing a decade of digital experience in broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

While the agriculture industry hoped details on proposed “bridge” payments for farmers would be released this week, Ag Secretary Brook Rollins said the USDA is still working with the White House on the finer points.
Federal lawyers submitted a brief this week backing Bayer’s argument that federal laws governing herbicides like Roundup should prevent lawsuits over the popular chemical.
China’s renewed purchases signal improving sorghum demand at a time when export markets are otherwise uneven. Meanwhile, agriculture groups across the U.S, Canada, and Mexico want to protect close trade relations.
The Cotton-4 are pushing hard for new value chain investments. Still, many U.S. cotton producers face unsustainable losses, and weakened regional textile capacity threatens the survival of the Carolina “dirt-to-shirt” supply chain.
Tryston Beyrer, Crop Nutrition Lead at The Mosaic Company, examines planning trends as producers weigh corn and soybean plantings for 2026.
Brooks York with AgriSompo joins us to offer an update on what agents are prioritizing as the calendar year winds down.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.