Supporting women in ag

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An agriculture student in a blue jacket smiles while holding up a research sample. A classmate in a black jacket looks down at the field behind her.

“When I first started my career in agriculture after graduating from Assiniboine in 2007, there really wasn’t a lot of females in this field,” says Sarah Ramsey. “Now, when I look around it amazes me how many females are working in this field.”

Ramsey is an Assiniboine alum who has been employed with Cargill for more than 10 years in various roles, currently as a Grain Marketing Advisor. Cargill has recently committed to sponsoring a $3,000 entrance award for a female student entering the Agribusiness program.

“Women bring a unique perspective to agriculture so the more females we can get into ag the better it will be for companies, farmers, ranchers and ultimately the world,” said Ramsey.

Danielle Tichit, a faculty member at Assiniboine, has seen firsthand through her experience working in agriculture and teaching the ag industry’s next generation, the benefit of including and encouraging females in the industry.

“I think women have always played a critical role in the agriculture industry. Growing up I watched my mom work side-by-side with my dad as a partner on our farm while also having a full time off-farm career,” said Tichit. “Over the last 20 years, women have made substantial strides in the financial, research and retail sectors. I hope in the future we will see more women in top management, influencing farm policy and owning their own farming operations.”

Tichit grew up on a mixed farm in Southwestern Manitoba. This experience led her to a career in agriculture. Ramsey was much the same, growing up on a farm with agriculture as a major part of her life, which grew her passion for the industry. While this is often the case, Tichit hopes an award like the Cargill Scholarship will bring more women into the industry.

“I hope an award like this encourages women from all walks of life, not just those who grew up in and around the industry to consider a future in agriculture. There is so much opportunity here,” said Tichit.

While this pointed support of female agriculture students is new for the 2021/22 academic year, Cargill’s support for Assiniboine students is anything but—the relationship is longstanding and has proved beneficial to both parties. “Assiniboine has a strong history of producing industry ready talent. There is no greater example than the Agribusiness program. Hiring and further developing top end talent has long been the goal of Cargill. Collaborating with the college to continue to provide this educational opportunity is key to our mutual success,” said Wayne Kirk, a Crop Input Retail Manager at Cargill, who is also an Assiniboine alumnus and current President of the college’s Alumni Association.

“Cargill recently reviewed how to increase the student impact of our investment. With that we arrived at increasing awareness and opportunity for females in ag.” As a female working in the male-dominated agriculture industry, Ramsey has been proud to work for Cargill through the majority of her career.

“It makes me feel proud, supported and excited to be working for a company that is supporting females in agriculture,” said Ramsey. “I have three daughters who all express interest in the agricultural field, so if I can contribute even a little to any stigma around women in ag, I will. I am passionate about this topic, and an active member on the Cargill Women’s Network North America chapter, to help support the development of women in this field and others.”

Encouraging women to pursue careers in agriculture is good for the industry, and Kirk says Cargill knows it’s good for their future. “Cargill has an endless search for elite talent and feel that supporting the educational journey of women in agriculture will provide an increased talent pool. Cargill is the home of many female Assiniboine grads that are doing extraordinary work and we want to increase awareness of the opportunities that exist in the ag sector.”