She Grows the Future: Women Leaders in Conservation Agriculture

A celebration of women in agriculture

The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026). This designation is a celebration of women in agriculture and the varied roles they play, many of which often go unrecognized. The 2022 Census of Agriculture revealed a mere 36% of America’s 3.4 million producers are women - yet much of the work done by women often goes unseen, and this percentage may not do justice to the amount of work being done by women in the agrifood system.

Women farmers and ranchers and other ag industry professionals are crucial in supporting food security, natural resource security, economic resilience in rural communities, and more. This initiative by the United Nations will promote actions to close the gender gaps and improve women’s livelihoods worldwide (FAO).

RIPE is proud to work with producers across all ages, genders, farm types, and farm sizes across the United States, and has had the pleasure of working with some truly remarkable women farmers and ranchers. RIPE was founded by a woman, our Board of Directors is 50% women, and our staff is currently majority women too. We celebrate diversity in our staff, leadership, and coalition alike - for example, RIPE’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA Committee) is focused on raising up historically under-served producers which include women producers and their perspectives when approaching climate-smart agriculture and addressing equity issues in agriculture as it relates to RIPE’s mission and goals. The IDEA Committee was formed through discussions with RIPE stakeholders and staff to ensure that farmers and ranchers who have historically been under-served by USDA programs are central in designing and implementing RIPE’s approach. 

RIPE has had the pleasure of working directly with several noteworthy women in agriculture since its inception nearly ten years ago. Whether it is members of the Board of Directors, members of the Coalition, participants in our storytelling projects, or people we have met at meetings, events, field days and the like, we are grateful to have learned from and with so many inspiring women over the years. Read about a few of them below.

‍ ‍Shelby Beyer of Anchor Farms in Cheney, KS is a dear friend of RIPE. RIPE met Shelby in Summer 2024 during RIPE Steering Committee member No-Till on The Plains’ Dakotas Soil Health Bus Tour. Immediately upon meeting her, Shelby’s knowledge and enthusiasm established her as a thought leader and a trusted resource about soil health in the Midwest. Shelby is a farmer, a mother, a retired nurse, an educator, and an entrepreneur all-in-one. In 2019, Shelby and her husband Brad bought the land that now houses Anchor Farm. Using a combination of different regenerative techniques, the Beyers practice thoughtful stewardship of their farm and its surrounding ecosystem. “Food is community. Farming is community,” says Shelby. “I’m inviting these people out to the farm. I want them to be friends. I want to share ideas and experiences. I want to know what they want to know. What are they curious about? What does my community need from the farm, outside of the food production part?”

Read more about Shelby’s story in RIPE’s Producer Profiles Series.

‍ ‍Anne Schwagerl of Prairie Point Farm in Big Stone County, MN is also a longtime friend of RIPE through RIPE Steering Committee member Minnesota Farmers Union. Anne, who works as Vice President of MN Farmers Union, is a fifth generation farmer who has experienced the effects of climate change firsthand on her farm near Browns Valley, MN on the western border of the state. She credits soil health benefits and climate resilience as the partial drivers behind her use of conservation practices like diverse crop rotation. “Farming is a journey, it is a spectrum,” says Anne. “We need new nuance and to not let perfect be the enemy of good. For me, it is about moving the needle. Nothing wholesale shifts overnight, but it’s amazing what removing a tillage pass can do, or just a single species of cover crop.”

Read more about Anne’s story in RIPE’s Producer Profiles Series.

‍ ‍Eunie Biel, co-owner of Biel Dairy Farm in Harmony, MNis active in the ag industry and a champion of RIPE. Biel Dairy, LLC consists of 200 cows and young stock, and 1,200 acres of corn, soybeans and hay. Her son and his family currently manage the farm. Eunie served as President of Fillmore County Farmers Union in Minnesota for many years. She was a frequent participant in National Farmers Union (NFU) legislative fly-ins, and has served on the MFU and NFU Policy Committees. She also serves as Fillmore County SWCD supervisor, sits on the MN Board of Water and Soil Resources, and is clerk for Bristol Township. She is a Past President of RIPE and currently sits on its Board of Directors. “I was first attracted to RIPE for their emphasis on voluntary conservation efforts, which creates a feasible pathway to scale regenerative agriculture in the United States,” says Eunie. “RIPE’s approach is scalable across commodities and farm sizes, and creates effective routes for farmers and ranchers to be compensated for the environmental services created by their (voluntary) conservation practices.”

‍ ‍Morgan Wrich of Nelson, NE is RIPE’s Director of Industry Engagement. ​​Morgan works to build strong community connections and promote sustainable agricultural practices that benefit rural communities and the environment. In addition to her role at RIPE, Morgan is actively involved with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association and CommonGround, which works to amplify the voices of farmers and foster greater understanding between the agricultural community and consumers. She lives on a farm in Southeast Nebraska with her family, where they raise no-till corn and soybeans. Passionate about agriculture, community, and environmental stewardship, Morgan is dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions and helping rural America thrive. “Working directly with other farmers and ranchers is so important in designing solutions that genuinely benefit producers and rural communities,” says Morgan. “Having a diverse coalition of farmers, ranchers and producer groups is at the heart of RIPE’s mission and vision. By including these diverse producer voices, we create and advocate for initiatives that benefit producer livelihoods and the environment alike.”

These are just a few of the stellar women who RIPE has had the privilege of working with in recent years. The roles and responsibilities of women in agriculture are varied, and their hard work often goes unseen. Let the Year of the Woman Farmer be a starting point in recognizing and celebrating the contributions of women in agriculture, whatever roles they play. To move the needle toward more sustainable agricultural systems, we need to include and uplift the voices of all producers, across all geographies, demographics, and scales. 

Are you a woman in agriculture, or do you know a woman in agriculture, who would be a good candidate for RIPE’s Producer Profiles, or for one of our coalition groups (IDEA Committee or Producer Leader Advisory Network (PLAN)? We want to hear from you! Contact us to get started.