Women in Agriculture - Time to put Yourself First!

Mar 12, 2025
By Denise Faguy
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Over the years, 8,000 conference alumni have been inspired by AWC.

What do 31 + students studying agriculture and food at Canadian universities and colleges across the country, 41 speakers, 32 exhibitors, and 300+ delegates have in common? They will all be attending the 22nd Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference next week in Calgary, Alberta.

AWC West will be held March 16 to 18 at the Hyatt Regency in Calgary.

There is still time to register if you would like to attend. Why attend? Spark new thoughts! Get motivated to look to tomorrow! Be inspired to reach your goals! If you need CEU credits you can earn 25 credits in the professional development category.

There is a great line-up of speakers, including:

Angela Santiago, CEO, Co-Founder, The Little Potato Company with her presentation “Rooted in Values: Growing The Little Potato Company.”
Dr. Brynn Winegard, Workplace Applied Neuroscience & Positive Psychology Expert, DrBrynn.com with her presentation “Boost My Brain!” • Cami Ryan, Industry Affairs and Sustainability, Bayer with “The Heat is On! Resiliency and Leadership in Ag!”
Bobbie-Jo Curle, Vice President Insurance, AgriStability, & LPI, AFSC with “Big Dreams, Small Towns: Taking Risks and Growing Your Career.”

And don’t miss the Business Panel Discussion “Growing your business or transferring your business?” Panelists will include Hollie Kereszti, Women in Enterprise, TD, Calgary; Julie Dimitri, National Manager, Women in Enterprise, TD Business Banking, Toronto; Lynda Campbell, District Manager TD Agriculture Services, TD Bank, Calgary, and Sean Hiebert, Vice President, Business Succession Advisor, TD Wealth, Calgary.

Looking for a career change, don’t miss the breakfast session “Beyond the Basics: Advanced Resume and Interview Techniques for Career Growth”, with Erin Stuart, Recruitment Consultant, De Lacy Executive Recruitment.

AFSC will be holding the exclusive gala “The Notables” dedicated to celebrating the leadership, resilience, and dedication of women shaping Alberta’s agriculture industry. With the keynote speaker Sarah Calhoun, Red Ants Pants.

Don’t forget to register to attend the FEAD Table Talk Semi-Annual Conference which brings together food founders and leaders for the afternoon.

For more information about the Advancing Women in Agriculture West Conference, visit https://www.advancingwomenconference.ca/2025west/

Video: Is China Buying US Soybeans + USDA Nov 14th Crop Report could be “Game Changing”

After a week of a U.S./China trade truce, markets/trade is skeptical that we have not seen a signed agreement nor heard much from China or seen any details. There are rumors that China is buying soybean futures & not the physical. Trust in Trump?
12 MMT of U.S. soybean purchases by China by year-end is better than 0 but we all need to give it more time and give it a chance to unfold. China did lower the tariffs on Ag and is buying U.S. wheat and sorghum.
U.S. supreme court could rule against Trumps tariffs, but the Trump administration does have a plan B.
U.S. government shutdown is now the longest in history at 38 days.
But despite a U.S. government shutdown we will be getting a USDA November crop report next Friday and it could be “game changing.” If the USDA provides a bullish surprise with lower U.S. corn and soybean yields and ending stocks that are lower than expected both corn and soybean futures will break out above their ceilings at $4.35/bu and $11.35/bu respectively.
The funds continued their selling in live and feeder cattle futures on continued fears that the Trump administration want to lower U.S. beef prices. The fundamentals have not changed, only market psychology has.
Stocks markets continue to worry about a weak U.S. job market, but you can blame ChatGPT for that. In the future, we will have a more efficient, productive and growing economy with a higher unemployment rate until we have more skilled AI workers.
After 34 new record highs in the S & P 500 and 124 new records in the NASDAQ in 2025 we are back to a correction and investor profit taking as AI valuations may have gotten too stretched near-term ahead of NVDA’s 3rd quarter earnings announcement on Nov. 19th. But this is not an AI bubble.
75% of Tesla shareholders approved a $1 trillion pay package for Elon Musk!
It has rained in South America in the last 7 days, but both the American and European models agree that Central Brazil remains dry in the next 14-days!

Women’s ag group urging for meeting with President Trump

KIOTI introduces KIOTI Connect