Who Owns the Family Farm? The Struggle to Determine the Property Rights of Farm Wives

This article reviews the historical transition of the legal status of farm wives, analyzes current laws affecting the respective ownership rights of husbands and wives to family farm assets, and discusses current federal farm programs as they relate to the treatment of husbands and wives. The author asserts that while the role of the farm wife has changed dramatically since pre-industrial times, her importance to farming has not. Finally, the author concludes that both husbands and wives are well advised to give careful consideration to their respective legal status and its potential interpretation by courts in their jurisdiction.