“To me, being a woman in agriculture means working just as hard as the men around me—while also balancing an off-farm career and raising small children. It requires keeping my composure even in challenging moments, because I want to encourage my son and daughter to see the value of continuing this incredible way of life.“

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

I grew up in a farming family that had been involved in agriculture for generations, though by the time I was born the farm was more of a hobby. My parents and grandparents believed strongly in keeping me connected to agriculture, so I became involved in 4-H at a young age and started exhibiting livestock around age five. That passion led me to pursue an agribusiness degree at Michigan State University and a professional career focused on helping farmers succeed.

I joined our family farm when I started dating my now-husband Garrett in 2020 and became officially involved after we were married in 2021. At first, I helped out in small ways—like keeping everyone fed during planting and harvest—but over time my role has grown into operations manager. Today, I manage financial operations at Adam Farms, LLC, Brandenburg Farms, and Garrett and Katie Adam Farms, oversee invoices and cash flow, reconcile farm funding, and handle farm records, scheduling, and vendor meetings to keep things running smoothly.

Adam Farms, owned by my father-in-law and his brother, is a fifth-generation family farm in Michigan’s Thumb. The farm raises edible beans, soybeans, corn, wheat, sugar beets, and alfalfa hay, along with operating hog barns and a freezer beef feedlot. Garrett and I also farm 200 acres of our own, raising a similar crop rotation and marketing three acres of sweet corn directly to consumers.

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

To me, being a woman in agriculture means working just as hard as the men around me—while also balancing an off-farm career and raising small children. It requires keeping my composure even in challenging moments, because I want to encourage my son and daughter to see the value of continuing this incredible way of life.

Agriculture is demanding, but it has shaped me into a more resilient person. There’s also a unique responsibility that comes with being the one a farmer can confide in, and I carry that role with both pride and humility. I feel a strong pull to educate the world about agriculture, sharing the realities and rewards of this work with those who may not experience it firsthand or understand where their food comes from. This is also why I feel such a deep connection to the products we market directly to consumers from our farm—it’s a way to bridge that gap and tell our story.

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

I think anyone entering agriculture—regardless of gender—needs to understand just how challenging it can be. Even for me, growing up surrounded by farming, agriculture was often romanticized. That’s why I try to share a story that is authentic and honest, yet still inspiring enough to encourage others to be drawn to this way of life.

The greatest piece of advice I can give is this: don’t give up. Even when it feels like quitting is the only option, find a way to take small steps forward. Those steady steps and good partners will carry you through even toughest of times.

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

I earned a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness Management from Michigan State University and have also completed online certifications in software such as QuickBooks. Beyond formal education, I regularly attend field days sponsored by NRCS and other agricultural organizations, and I’ve continued to seek learning opportunities through my involvement with Michigan Farm Bureau and formal programs offered by groups like the Midwest Cover Crops Council.

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

I’ve been fortunate to work with GreenStone Farm Credit Services in Michigan as well as USDA loan assistance programs, which helped my husband and me purchase farmland and the home farm where we live. We were also able to take advantage of young farmer programs through our local Farm Service Agency. I believe expanding similar targeted programs specifically for women would make it easier for the next generation of women in agriculture to access the capital they need.

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?

On our farm, we rely on a variety of technologies, including auto-steer in all of our tractors and sprayer, traited seed and spray technologies, and advanced record-keeping systems. This combination of technology and data management allows us to maximize yields efficiently while keeping profitability at the forefront.

Professionally, I work for an agribusiness that participates in many educational events for farmers, and I make a point to bring that knowledge back to our own operation. This helps us stay on the cutting edge—continuously informed on best practices, weather, markets, and the latest innovations shaping agriculture.

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

One of the biggest challenges my husband and I have faced is farming in partnership with his family. We are incredibly fortunate to share equipment and benefit from their decades of knowledge, but it also comes with differences in philosophy. As younger farmers, we are eager to adopt cutting-edge technologies and sometimes take calculated risks, while his dad and uncle, nearing retirement, prefer a more conservative approach. This generational gap has required us to learn how to communicate openly, balance perspectives, and find middle ground that works for the whole operation.

We have also seen firsthand the financial challenges they faced in the past, which taught us the importance of being disciplined and responsible with our own business decisions. By keeping strong records, managing finances carefully, and choosing where to innovate, we’ve been able to respect their experiences while also building a path forward that reflects our goals for the future.

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

Yes, we have benefited from USDA-sponsored loan assistance programs, which provided critical support as we purchased farmland and established our operation. These programs have made it possible for us to get started at a young age and build a strong foundation for the future. Looking ahead, I hope to take greater advantage of state-level opportunities, particularly those offered through NRCS. Programs that focus on sustainability—such as cost-share for cover crops, nutrient management planning, or soil health initiatives—would help us continue to grow while also improving our stewardship of the land. As our operation expands, I see these resources as an important way to align our business goals with long-term conservation practices.