Women in Agriculture

I thought this week was the perfect time to really start this blog. Last week was International Women’s Day, and what better time to celebrate being a woman in agriculture than now? I am not an extreme feminist by any means; I believe in chivalry and I do expect to be treated somewhat differently than men. I am a proponent of the dictionary definition of feminism: “the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities” (Merriam Webster).  I do NOT believe that women (or men for that matter) should be posing naked for photo shoots or whatever else to make a point about feminism. But, that is more of a matter of my faith. So, back to women in agriculture.

Traditionally, men are associated with primary roles in agriculture, but recently the tables have turned. Today, 1 million of our 3.3 million farm operators are women and 45% of these woman-run operations specialize in raising livestock (hey, that’s me!). I pulled this info from www.americasfarmers.com, you should check them out! Additionally, women are rising to leadership powers within agriculture faster than in any other male-dominated industry. Go us!

I thought in this post I would expand a little more on my experiences in agriculture. Being a woman in ag, and also from central Virginia, I was somewhat of an oddity. The boys at my high school were wary of me because I “wrestled” cows. I let it go because ya gotta take what you can get, right? I grew up around beef cattle and learned to count checking cows with my great-grandfather. Cows were an integral part of my childhood, and I hope to raise my children the same way. I began showing cattle when I was 9 and that was basically the beginning of the end. I was in love. I learned as much as I could about raising, handling, and showing cattle and eventually, with the help of family and friends, was able to start my own herd with a former show heifer. I wanted more, so I applied for a small loan through the Farm Service Agency and bought a few more cows (So, to those of y’all that want to start your own operation, there are resources out there to help you and I encourage you to at least look into it!) It’s addicting. I continued to breed my Red Angus and Shorthorn cows and show as much as I could. Thanks to a kind couple near home, I was able to travel to national shows to compete with their animals. Traveling and competing in these shows are still some of my fondest memories. Then, in high school I began working at a local dairy on the weekends. My job entailed tending to the calves. I would mix milk replacer, scoop grain, throw hay, check water, and help pull calves, among other duties. I loved that job, but not so much the early mornings and lack of weekend plans. But, I stuck with it for 3 years until I went off to college, and that is something I do not regret one bit. While my peers were off getting into trouble or whatever it was they did, I was learning more responsibility and earning my own money. The biggest part of growing up in agriculture, in my opinion, is the sense of responsibility that is rooted in an individual. It’s sad to see that most people these days are 3 generations removed from the farm. There is so much misinformation floating around just because people have no idea what they’re talking about, and it gives our industry an undeserving bad name. With my background and experiences in agriculture, I stand firm in my beliefs and wish to share the facts with anyone that will listen.

I am an animal science major at K-State. Years ago, my major was male-dominated. Now, the majority of animal science majors at my university are female. It’s incredible how far us ladies have come and how far I know we will continue to go. I am proud to be a woman in agriculture, and I hope others will share their stories too. Until next time!