From planting and harvesting to leading research and innovation, soybean FarmHERs are making powerful strides in agriculture. Their dedication fuels our food system and supports renewable energy, animal feed, and countless everyday products. This month, we honor their resilience, leadership, and vital role in shaping a sustainable future for us all.
Let’s look back and celebrate seven soybean producers we’ve featured on our show + blog over the years:
Mary Pat Sass
FarmHER Season 6, Episode 6 – WATCH ON RFD-TV NOW!
FarmHER and Ag Influencer Mary Pat Sass is amassing a growing number of followers online through her work as an ag advocate, or as she likes to say, “agvocate,” as well as with her inspirational book series, Grounded Journals, and her continued willingness to share intimate and inspiring portraits of love, motherhood, and farm life with the world through social media and her blog. Mary Pat and her husband, Josh, help run his family’s row crop farm in Woodstock, Illinois.
Maggie Hollub
FarmHER Season 5, Episode 11- WATCH ON RFD-TV NOW!
FarmHER Maggie Hollub raises 320 acres of corn and 200 acres of soybeans at Holub Farm in Scribner, Nebraska. Farming isn’t Maggie’s only passion, though. She also loves focusing on physical fitness. She spreads her passion through a mobile trailer outfitted with weights and other equipment that she pulls to small towns in the area. There, she sets up and provides fitness classes to rural communities who may not have other options.
April Hemmes
FarmHER Season 1, Episode 10 – WATCH ON RFD-TV NOW!
FarmHER April Hemmes was born into a farming family. To put it simply, farming is part of who she is. Following college at Iowa State University, April found her way to Washington, D.C. There, she worked for a lawmaker. In 1985, she came home to Hampton, Iowa, to farm and hasn’t looked back since. On my trip to April’s farm, which she lovingly and proudly refers to as “The Empire”, I arrived just as April was getting ready to head out to a nearby field with her seed dealers.
Jenny Mennenga
FarmHER Season 1, Episode 23 – WATCH ON RFD-TV NOW!
Women’s connection to a life in agriculture never ceases to amaze me, and FarmHER Jenny Mennenga is the perfect example of that. Jenny grew up in Northwest Iowa on a traditional row crop and cattle farm operation. With no intentions of going back home to the farm, she went to Iowa State University where she found her own love of agriculture through the study of agronomy and, more specifically, the ability of genetically modified seeds to be able to make a real difference in the ability to feed a growing world. After college, she moved to Illinois to pursue a career with Syngenta.
Annie Dee
FarmHER Season 4, Episode 5 – WATCH ON RFD-TV NOW!
Annie Dee is a FarmHER focused on sustainability. Raised in a family connected to agriculture, she went to college for an ag degree when few women were pursuing the field. She was a pioneer in planting cover crops and using no-till farming practices. Over the decades, she has seen increasingly healthy soil full of biodiversity at her farm in rural Alabama.
Chelsey Erdmann, aka Oh That’s Chelsey!
Featured on FarmHER.com
Meet FarmHER Chelsey Erdmann, the face and creator behind Oh That’s Chelsey! She was born and raised on a farm/ranch with two brothers and supportive parents. One thing that was always clear from Chelsey’s parents was that there would always be a place for each child on the farm. At one point, all three children were working at the family farm. Now, she works alongside one brother, her parents, and her children in tow. Her farm is extremely diversified. Together, they farm corn, soybeans, oats, and pinto beans while running commercial cow-calf and feedlot operations in North Dakota. Her husband owns his own business, too.
Amanda Nigg, a.k.a. Farm Fit Mama
Featured on FarmHER.com
Meet FarmHER Amanda Nigg, more commonly known as Farm Fit Momma. She’s the mastermind behind Farm Fit Training. She teaches farmers everywhere that their farmyard is a gym in itself. It just requires a little creativity. In 2020, life changed for all of us, but for Amanda Nigg’s farm family, it hit differently. The shock of being homeless and losing all of their belongings was not something they planned on taking on the first day of the global pandemic shutdown. But some cinder blocks and fitness social media posts completely changed it around.
Everybody Eats
At the heart of every meal is a story—a tale of dedication, nurture, and the enduring spirit of those who tend the land. Everybody Eats is the place where the narratives of food and agriculture converge. In partnership with FarmHer, we meet courageous women who embody not just the power of nurturing but also the strength of leading in transforming our food systems. They are the unsung heroes, educators, and compassionate souls who have relentless commitment and extraordinary care embedded in cultivating our food. Feed your curiosity, nourish your understanding, and grow your appreciation for the stewards who make sure that Everybody Eats.
Nationwide, a leading provider in farm and ranch insurance, acknowledges that more than half of all farming operations in the United States have at least one female operator. These women constitute the fastest-growing segment of farmers and are known for their innovative approaches. Given the current challenging circumstances, it is critical to assess your insurance coverage and financial services to ensure comprehensive protection and stability for your farm or ranch operations. Find a Nationwide Agent.