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
Listen to Alex’s Dirt Diaries episode today on all podcast platforms or tune into Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147 to listen, weekends at 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET.
Farm work is hard work, and as the harvest season brings heavier workloads, experts are urging producers to pay closer attention to joint pain and ways to prevent it.
On this week’s episode of FarmHER + RanchHER, host Kirbe Schnoor travels to Wilson’s ranch to see how she blends tradition and technology to raise elite Red Angus cattle.
National Education Center for Ag Safety Director Dan Neenan joins us to discuss grain bin safety and the steps producers can take to prevent tragedies.
Theresa Long and Theresa Pittman joined us on behalf of the AgriSafe Network to discuss the health and social issues impacting families in agriculture.
UNL Animal Science Ph.D candidate Anna Kobza joined us on Tuesday’s Market Day Report to share her agriculture story and tips for other producers hoping to share their ag stories online or with the media.
Let’s meet an inspiring young farmer leading the Tennessee FFA this year, but now has his sights set on the National stage.
Cindy Kovar with AgriSafe joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report to talk about road safety and agriculture as we age.

Marion is a digital content manager for RFD-TV and The Cowboy Channel. She started working for Rural Media Group in May 2022, adding a decade of experience in the digital side of broadcast media and some cooking experience to the team.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Record yields and exceptionally low BCFM strengthen U.S. corn’s competitive position in global markets.
Raulston Acres Christmas Tree Farm in Rock Springs, Ga., has been in the same family for three generations.
Reed Marcum started hosting a toy drive in 2015. Since then, he has distributed thousands of toys across his home state of Oklahoma and in Texas and Arkansas. Now serving in the Army, Reed’s family and local 4-H chapter are running the event.
RFD-TV Farm Legal and Tax Expert Roger McEowen explains the basics of Low-Risk Credit in Farming, and how an understanding of the farm credit landscape lets producers tactfully approach debt.
Mike Steenhoek, with the Soy Transportation Commission, shares his outlook on current grain stocks and transportation lines amid bumper crops filling bins across the United States.
Agriculture Shows
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.
The goal of “Where the Food Comes From” is as simple as its name implies — host Chip Carter takes you along on the journey of where our food comes from — and we don’t just mean to the supermarket (though that’s part of the big picture!). But beyond where it comes from, how it gets there, and all the links in the chain that make that happen.