Feb 28, 2025

Celebrating women in agriculture: Women in produce share experiences

Women are increasingly stepping into pivotal roles in the ag industry, challenging stereotypes and reshaping the industry.

From small family farms to expansive commercial operations to leading at academic institutions, many women combine tradition with innovation, driving change and sustainability in their communities.

Here are some of the successful women whose journeys reflect the diverse opportunities and challenges faced by women in agriculture, showcasing their contributions to the industry.

Allison Hiller

Growing up on a farm in Penn Yan, New York, agriculture was ingrained in Allison Hiller’s life from an early age.

“My father, grandfather and great-grandfather all lived on this farm and worked the land, which over the years produced fresh fruit, including apples, grapes, cherries, black raspberries and peaches,” she said. “After high school, I left the area to pursue my degree and explore what I wanted to do with my life. Growing up in a small town, I felt the urge to see more of the world and seek broader opportunities.”

After earning her degree from Penn State University and working across the Northeast for a senior living company, Hiller felt a pull to return home and moved back to her hometown and Apple Barrel Orchards.

“As I got older, my parents began discussing retirement and the possibility of selling the farm,” Hiller said. “My sister and I were both well-established in our careers, but we also knew we were the next generation to carry on the family legacy. Neither of us wanted to see the farm sold.”

Around that same time, Hiller met her husband, Michael, and the couple quickly realized that buying the farm and business was something they both wanted to do. They were married in August 2019, and by March 2020 had signed the papers as the new farm owners.

Today, the two are co-owners of Apple Barrel Orchards, which includes u-pick apples, grapes and cherries, a retail farm store, and a cidery that produces both alcoholic and non-alcoholic ciders.

“I oversee much of the farm store and cidery operations, including staffing, marketing and financial management,” Hiller said. “Together, we are focused on maintaining the family business and ensuring its continued success.”

In her view, women bring a fresh perspective to the agricultural community, often approaching business in ways that can be different from their male counterparts.

“For example, from a marketing standpoint, we’ve noticed a shift in the demographic of visitors to our farm,” Hiller said. “Social media plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions, and as a woman, I’m able to share our story in a way that resonates with a wider audience.”

One of the challenges she’s faced as a woman in agriculture was finding where she fit in.

“I recall attending a grape growers’ meeting a few years ago, seven months pregnant, surrounded by men who had been farming for decades,” she said. “Feeling out of place or as though I don’t belong in the agricultural community can sometimes be a barrier. However, my situation is unique in that, while I’m a new farmer, my family has been farming for generations, and I have that legacy to share with others.

“Relationship-building has been key for me. Taking the initiative to introduce myself, starting conversations in new settings and being willing to help others has helped me overcome that initial feeling of not fitting in.”

Mary Sheppard

As field manager and agronomist of Golden Stock Farms in Mears, Michigan, Mary Sheppard oversees production of 350 acres of asparagus as well as some row crops.

“I did not grow up on a farm, nor was I involved in 4H, FFA or anything like that,” she said. “However, I have always been an avid outdoors person. When I was looking at colleges, I started looking into careers that would give me the opportunity to be outside most of the time. I was torn between crop and soil science and fisheries and wildlife.”

After meeting with college counselors and being informed that the Michigan State Crop and Soil Science department had had 100% job placement in recent years, Sheppard decided to go that route.

“While in school, I received an internship on the other side of the state from where I grew up,” she said. “I moved there for the internship and then was hired full time by that crop consulting company upon graduation. When our location closed in 2020, I received a job offer from one of the growers who I had worked with while being a crop consultant. That is how I got to where I am now.”

When originally hired, her official job was field manager, but since the farm had few full-time employees, she was able to do a little bit of everything.

“I operate all of the equipment (sprayer, disc, chopper, etc.), do winter maintenance on everything and help my boss with whatever needs to be done during the day,” Sheppard said. “The roles that are specific to me include being the crop consultant (soil sampling, making fertilizer and chemical recs and scouting fields) and overseeing our migrant workers during asparagus harvest while making harvest decisions daily for each field.”

Over her many years working in a male-dominated field, she has noticed differences in the way men and women operate. “In my experience, women are more patient, better communicators and better at multi-tasking,” Sheppard said. “I think women are more compassionate and empathetic toward people as well.

Specifically, when it comes to agriculture promotion, which we need now more than ever, women are the pros. I think consumers relate better to women farmers since the women in the family are the ones doing the grocery shopping. Women in ag have done such a wonderful job these past few years of promoting ag on social media and telling the farmer’s story.”

She has never felt like she has been treated unequally as a woman in this field.

“Yes, I think people are a little skeptical up front due to a long history of this being a male dominated field, but I have always been given the opportunity to do whatever it was that I wanted to try,” Sheppard said.

Amy Wysocki

Amy Wysocki, director of operations for S. Kamphuis Blueberries, in Holland, Michigan, runs the process shed along with her father Scott and does much more around the farm.

“I am a fifth-generation blueberry farmer,” she said. “Both my parents still run it, but I do a lot at the farm. We have a u-pick, and we also have a small store with ice cream, muffins and gourmet foods. I also process for wholesale, packaging blueberries in a 30-pound box, and I do a lot of paperwork for the sales. We package over a million pounds.”

Wysocki never thought she would continue on in the family business, always swearing she would leave when she got older.

“I went to college and graduated with an associate’s degree but came back to the farm because I wanted to continue the legacy and bring such amazing fruit to our community,” she said. “This is a place where people can make memories with their families and friends, and I wanted to work with family.”

When she started working full-time, she did notice a lack of women represented in the space. That has changed over time. “I do see more women working on farms today,” Wysocki said. “There’s been a lot of growth in the industry, and women constantly show that they can do hard work.”

In addition to her mom and late grandmother, Wysocki was inspired by some of the women working on neighboring farms in her area and a female food safety director who served as something of a mentor to her.

“I often confide with women in the industry and find that everyone likes to help fellow farmers; your neighbor isn’t your competitor, and we all hope to see other farmers win,” she said. “I am there for other women who need support and have found a great support system for myself.”

One of Wysocki’s favorite parts of what she does is teaching people where their food comes from.

“For any women who want to do this, I just say to be confident and pray about it; if it wasn’t for my faith, I couldn’t do it,” she said. “Even though it can be hard, the outcome is so worth it. For me, there’s nothing better than seeing people come to pick blueberries and see them make core memories at
the farm.”

Alicea Shukin

Alicea Shukin, who recently graduated from Olds College with a degree in horticulture, is putting her knowledge to good use as horticulturist for Shukin Orchards in Creston, British Columbia.

“I deal with a lot of the spray scheduling and receiving and shipping when it comes to fruit coming in and out,” she said. “I help in the field with pruning and work alongside my dad, who is the main big boss here. I am learning from what he is teaching me and trying to deal with the business side more.”

Twenty-five years ago, Shukin’s dad planted cherries on what was mainly an apple farm at the time. Today, the farm has about 200 acres of cherries, which have become the main commodity. Shukin remembers her grandmother being in the front yard selling apples to customers and shares that same joy of doing something she loves.

“I’ve been really digging into the farm the last couple of years, and I love being able to help my dad and make him proud as I follow in his footsteps,” Shukin said. “I love being outdoors and growing fruit and get a big sense of accomplishment when the fruit is off the trees.”

Looking ahead, she does expect to one day take over for her dad (along with her other four siblings), but knows she still has a lot to learn from him and is excited about making decisions on the farm that will help change it for the better.

“I want to be learning from other people, not just my dad — women who have seen success as well,” Shukin said.

— A graduate of the University of Miami, Keith Loria is an award-winning journalist who has been writing for almost 20 years. View his recent writing at keithloria.contently.com.