A recent survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) confirms that a high percentage of women in agriculture already advocate for the industry, but they are looking for more leadership opportunities at all levels.

“There’s still quite a group out there that we need to engage to become involved and I think they just need to know that we want them to be involved and then also give them the training to have the confidence to get out and share their story,” said Sherry Saylor, chair of the AFBF Women’s Leadership Committee.

Saylor, an Arizona farmer, said 95 percent of women surveyed indicated they advocate for the agriculture industry frequently, but about 90 percent of respondents felt there should be more women in leadership roles. She said AFBF already provides training for media interviews, advocating politically and public speaking. She hopes the results of the survey will drive increased programming in the areas of leadership, advocacy and engagement training.

“I’m excited about the future and the fact that we can engage these other women who maybe haven’t been involved and know that there is a place for them to share their story about the wonderful job that farmers and ranchers are doing in this country,” said Saylor.

Complete results of the survey are available on the AFBF website under the Women’s Leadership Programs link.

Listen to the interview with Sherry here: Interview with Sherry Saylor, AFBF Women's Leadership Committee