Celebrating Women in Agriculture and Animal Health

Caring for Animals & Creating Trust in Food

In honor of Women’s History Month and National Ag Day, we’re talking to three leaders in agriculture who will share their experiences and discuss progress and opportunities to support and elevate women in agriculture, the veterinary profession and throughout the industry. The number of women leading careers in this space continues to grow as shown by these statistics:

• 36% of US farmers are women and 56% of all farms have at least one female decision-maker according to the 2019 Census of Agriculture
• According to the AVMA 2020 statistics, 64% of US veterinarians are women and 90% of certified veterinary technicians are women as reported by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) in 2017.
• Additionally, according to a 2017 report by the AAVMC, 80% of veterinary students were women – a statistic that 50 years earlier was reversed

But the numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Women are actively shaping and changing the agricultural and animal health industries, leading not only on the farm, but paving the way for the future of professional and industry organizations and agricultural businesses.

"There's room for all of us. The faster we realize that one person's success does not take away from our own and if we bring others with us, we can make a better impact." - Marissa Hake

“Having women involved has been a huge asset to the cattle industry. Confidence is just part of it – don’t be scared to be the only woman in the room.” - Trista Brown

“Confidence in your abilities is part of it, and you’ve got to believe in yourself – then have the courage to make the leap.” - Terri Moore

We are committed to the well-being of our communities, our employees, and our customers. In this episode, Jane Dukes, Associate Director of Value Chain & Consumers Affairs, speaks with Trista Brown-Priest, Chief Strategy Officer, Cattle Empire 3rd generation on the feeder operation; Terri Moore, VP Communications for the American Farm Bureau Federation and formerly deputy director of communications at the White House, and director of communications at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA); and Dr. Marissa Hake, the “Calf Vet” and Director of Animal Welfare and Sustainable Farming for Fairlife.

This Week’s Podcast:

• Meet Trista Brown-Priest, Chief Strategy Officer, Cattle Empire 3rd generation on the feeder operation; Terri Moore, VP Communications for the American Farm Bureau Federation and formerly deputy director of communications at the White House, and director of communications at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA); and Dr. Marissa Hake, the “Calf Vet” and Director of Animal Welfare and Sustainable Farming for Fairlife
• Explore the roll and ever increasing influence women are demonstrating in agriculture and veterinary medicine