United Nations Celebrates International Day of Rural Women

Oct 15, 2012

International Day of Rural Women Recognizes the Contributions Women Have Made to Agriculture

The number of women involved in agriculture around the world continues to grow, with women making up the majority of the workforce in developing countries; and sometimes the contributions that women have made to agriculture aren’t so well known. October 15th has been declared by the United Nations as the International Day of Rural Women, which formally recognizes the crucial role that woman play in rural economies around the world.

The first International Day of Rural Women was first launched in 2008 and the idea was suggested in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China. The date itself has meaning - it’s on the day before World Food Day to remember who producing much of the world’s food. Women should be commended for being traditional food providers, which is most apparent in the developing world. In fact, in developing countries, the majority of women’s work is devoted to agriculture and are in essence the agents of food production.

On this day of observance, remember the contributions that women have made to agriculture around the world and the sacrifices that they have made for food security.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.