WWIA Symposium: Women in ag gather for educational and networking opportunities in Gillette
The 32nd Annual Wyoming Women in Ag (WWIA) Symposium was held Nov. 6-7 in Gillette.
Women from across the Cowboy State and all walks of the ag industry came together for two days of community building and education, highlighted by a keynote address from Peterson Farm Brothers and several other speakers on opening day.
Attendees also enjoyed tours at three locations – the Hufeisen Ranch, Big Lost Meadery and the Ice Cream Cafe – to round out the second day of the symposium.
Peterson Farm Brothers
Following a welcome address from WWIA President Angela Grant, Greg and Kendal Peterson of Peterson Farm Brothers took the stage to deliver a keynote speech on ag advocacy and social media.
Hailing from a farm in central Kansas, Peterson Farm Brothers are a trio of brothers who rose to YouTube fame in 2012 for their ag-themed parodies of popular songs. They have continued to grow their online following using various social media outlets as tools to educate the public about the work of farming and ranching in a fun, accessible manner.
The brothers continue to make content today, in addition to raising their individual families and continuing the work of a six-generation farming operation.
Throughout the years, the mission of contributing to ag – and bringing ag into a positive spotlight – has remained the same.
Overall, the brothers encouraged audience members to get involved with ag advocacy and education on any scale possible, emphasizing a huge internet following is not necessary to make an impact.
“We’re trying to use social media to share the story of agriculture,” Greg said. “Twenty years ago, a farmer in Kansas or a rancher in Wyoming wasn’t capable of showing millions of people what we were doing without a news network or television crew. But today, anybody with a cellphone and a compelling story can show people on the internet how farming works, where food comes from and how animals are raised on ranches around the country.”
Additional speakers
Following the Peterson Farm Brothers’ presentation, a series of speakers offered insight into relevant topics in the ranching industry and answered questions from the audience.
First, Wyoming Rancher and Working Ranch Radio Show Host Justin Mills highlighted the growing impact of artificial intelligence in ranching. Mills discussed different technologies, like virtual fence and smart tags, and emphasized the delicate balance of change and progress in keeping ranches alive.
“Sometimes ranchers are resistant to change because there’s pride in our heritage, and there’s nothing wrong with this,” he stated. “I do not want to see our heritage go away, but I also firmly believe we have to be efficient. If we are not efficient, it creates more challenges to be profitable.”
Next, a panel of women discussed their personal experiences with navigating natural disasters in ranching, followed by comments from Casey Parker, co-founder of Hufeisen Ranch LLC near Gillette, on regenerative ranching and marketing Wagyu beef.
Finally, Farm Credit Services of America Developing Markets Officer Robbie Alexander gave a presentation on financial considerations and opportunities for young and beginning ranchers, emphasizing the importance of developing financial literacy and starting conversations early.
Diversified ag tours
The WWIA Symposium concluded with a tour of Hufeisen Ranch – a regenerative ranching operation raising Wagyu cattle, Icelandic sheep, poultry and honeybees.
Parker and her family market grass-fed Wagyu beef to customers around the country. The cuts are processed at local processing plants in accordance with U.S. Department of Agriculture standards before being shipped from the Hufeisen Ranch headquarters.
“I am a big advocate for American farm-to-table beef,” Parker said, emphasizing the demand for local beef is strong, and marketing directly to consumers can help return income to operations, keep money in local economies and reduce the role of middleman packers.
In addition, Parker offered insight on using social media as a tool for education and advertising in growing her business.
Following the tour of the Hufeisen Ranch, attendees headed back to Gillette for a behind-the-scenes look at operations of local businesses Big Lost Meadery and the Ice Cream Cafe.
First Lady of Wyoming Jennie Gordon attended the final two tours of the symposium and shared in a conversation with attendees about the important roles of women in agriculture.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
