“Women in agriculture, no matter what their role is are a vital component to agriculture.  I’m so proud to be a woman who is a first-generation rancher. I juggle our home, our children, a full-time career and our ranch. It’s a lot to juggle but every ounce of me believes in our ranch and way of life.”

Q: Tell us about your agricultural operation, your background and how you got started in agriculture. 

We are a first generation, family-operated ranch in Battle Mountain, Nevada. We raise American Wagyu cattle and offer beef direct to consumer. My husband and I purchased our ranch in June of 2025. It is a 170-acre ranch with 100 acres under irrigation. Previously we lived in Elko and had range land that we ran our cattle on. I was raised with horses and at a young age participated in 4H and FFA. My involvement there flourished my dream of owning my own ranch one day.

Q: What does working in agriculture, and specifically being a woman in agriculture, mean to you?

Women in agriculture, no matter what their role is are a vital component to agriculture.  I’m so proud to be a woman who is a first-generation rancher. I juggle our home, our children, a full-time career and our ranch. It’s a lot to juggle but every ounce of me believes in our ranch and way of life.

Q: What do you wish the next generation of women in agriculture would know about your work? What advice would you give them?

Follow your dreams! Take the leap to follow your dreams into agriculture! There is plenty of help and support waiting for you, I promise! You play a crucial role and we need women in agriculture!

Q: Have you had access to formal education or informal training programs to help you grow your operation?

The cooperative extension has great educational programs that I have used.

Q: What would make it easier for women in agriculture to access the capital they need?

Grants focused on women entering and or expanding in agriculture. More outreach from existing programs.

Q: What technologies or innovations have made the biggest difference on your farm? How do you stay informed about best practices, weather, markets, or new technologies?

Honestly, social media is huge for us, especially as a business that operates direct-to-consumer. I follow fellow ranchers and learn about many programs and technologies through them.

Q: Describe a specific challenge you faced and how you overcame it. 

Buying the ranch has been one of the greatest challenges of my life. Not only was it economically challenging, but the logistics of purchasing a ranch were more than I expected. It was important to feel that I could reach out to state programs and ask questions. Having a solid business plan, and financial plan assisted with the purchase and made the process much smoother.

Q: Has your state department of agriculture helped you advance your operation? How?

Our local USDA office is the reason we were able to purchase our ranch. We used our buying power through their ranch ownership loans.