Women Leaders Bring Diversity in Ag Leadership Positions

As a woman involved in agriculture, it is exciting to see more and more women taking more leadership roles in agriculture, especially within the Pacific Northwest. Two of our three State Ag Department Directors are women and after reading through each state's commodity commissions list — it looks like approximately 10 percent of our three states' commodity commissioners are women as well.

That may not seem like a high percentage, however, for those of us that were attending commodity events and meetings for the past several decades realize — it's substantially more than in the past.

Oregon Department of Agriculture Deputy Director Lisa Hanson is not surprised.

Hanson:  "Women have always played a very important part in agriculture, on farms and ranches. More and more, we are seeing them in leadership roles in agriculture. It continues to represent the diversity that's out there within our agricultural community and bring additional perspective to the conversations." ?

Commodity commissions fund projects for research, promotion, and education. Hanson says many times, a female voice brings an important perspective to the conversation regarding funding decisions.

Hanson: "I think there are more women involved in the commissions today than there were. But again, I think it continues to exemplify the leadership roles that women are taking in the agricultural community."