Farm Credit Celebrates the International Year of the Woman Farmer
The United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Farm Credit is proud to celebrate the resilient women delivering our essential food, fuel and fiber.
Women don't just fill a role - they transform it.
Women make up nearly half of the global agrifood workforce. From the farm to the boardroom, they play an invaluable role in feeding, fueling and clothing the world.
Farm Credit is proud to celebrate and showcase female agricultural leaders and recognize the powerful contributions they make to strengthening our food networks and rural communities. Read some of their stories below.
Dorcas Young, Lesedi Farms
Raised on a 500-acre family farm in Botswana, Dorcas Young spent her youth tending livestock and growing staple crops. Today, she operates Lesedi Farms in Sequim, Washington.
After relocating her incubator farm from Whidbey Island, Dorcas grows beans, greens, and herbs on her new property, continuing her mission to feed her community and share her passion for agriculture.
Emma Jagoz, Moon Valley Farm
Emma Jagoz’s love for growing and sharing healthy produce when she began raising arugula plants on her apartment balcony.
Today, Emma owns a 70-acre organic vegetable farm in Woodsboro, Maryland, where she operates a year-round CSA program and sells to restaurants from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.
Ruth Coffey, Double C Cattle Co.
A fifth-generation farmer, Ruth Coffey of Double C Cattle Co. operates a 25,000-acre cow-calf operation in Springer, Oklahoma, with her husband, Chuck.
Ruth has served as President of both National Cattlewomen’s Association and Oklahoma Cattlewomen’s Association and continues to champion female producers across the industry.
The AWARD Experience
In celebration of the International Year of the Woman Farmer, Farm Credit Council has launched an initiative to provide leadership development training to women leaders across the Farm Credit System. This special edition of the FCCS Women of Distinction Program blends historical lessons in decision-making, legacy-building and resilience with modern leadership strategies, preparing participants to return to their communities with renewed purpose and power.
Each of the 55 Farm Credit Associations and four banks, representing all 50 states and Puerto Rico, were invited to nominate one female leader for this distinguished honor. The AWARD experience takes place August 31 – September 3, 2026, on the historic grounds of Gettysburg, a fitting place to reflect on courage and influence in times of change.
