Women play key role in farming, says Farm Bureau

The American Farm Bureau Federation says that women play a larger role in the success of America’s farms, ranches and rural communities. With women making up over one-third of America’s farmers and ranchers, the bureau stressed an importance on providing women with education opportunities to grow the number of women in the field.

The American Farm Bureau runs the Women’s Leadership program that extends growth opportunities and leadership development to female farmers and ranchers.

“When somebody accepts that you’re a leader, that is a push forward,” says Isabella Chism, chair of the American Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Committee. “That’s something that is then encouraging others, empowering others. It’s an encouragement to the individual, yes, but it’s also an encouragement to others that eventually builds a strong foundation for others to stand on, and it brings a balance of perspective in the long run.”

Farm Bureau offers additional opportunities for women in the field, including application-based communications boot camps and breakout sessions and trainings.

“My proudest accomplishments are the women that are now doing the things that they thought they couldn’t do,” says Chism. “I just get this, I call it a proud mama moment, when I get to see women doing the things that they thought that they couldn’t do, when I get to see them speaking to a group of people, I get to see them giving an interview, I get to see them speaking up about something happening on their farms, talking to a legislator.”