Women play an imperative role in the economic strengthening and sustainability of the agricultural sector, yet very little economic research documents the role and contribution of farming women in developed countries. Through an interdisciplinary systematic literature review of 184 international peer-reviewed, English-language studies between 1970 and 2020 we identify the effect gendered discourses have elicited within developed countries and present how this has shaped women’s economic contribution and visibility within UK agriculture. The study reveals key economic differences both between men and women, and within women as a group, with factors such as access to land, education, organisation and policy driving these differences. Strategies impacting women’s economic agency are also evaluated in the context of wider policy. The outcomes of this study increase understanding of factors shaping women’s economic contribution and visibility in UK agriculture and will inform further research investigating female participation in agricultural business management and decision making.