Ag Tech Event Celebrates Women Leaders

Jul 02, 2025
By Farms.com

Empowering women leaders at Tech Hub LIVE 2025 event

The Women in Ag Tech (WiAT) event will return to Tech Hub LIVE on Monday, July 21, 2025, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Running from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., this event provides a platform for women professionals from across agriculture and ag tech to connect, learn, and grow.

WiAT has become a highlight of the annual Tech Hub LIVE, bringing together experts in precision agriculture, crop protection, finance, digital tools, and farm management. Now in its third year, the event is known for blending inspiration with practical advice.

The event begins with a keynote from Dr. Susan Olson, founder of Action Intel and BargeAI™, who brings her background in aerospace engineering to agricultural innovation. She will discuss how artificial intelligence, sensors, and data analytics are reshaping the future of farming—and the critical role women play in this transformation.

A key panel will feature experts from Bayer Crop Science, the University of Illinois, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. They will address how to close ag tech data gaps and strengthen infrastructure to increase the value of technology adoption on farms.

Another session led by Corteva Agriscience’s Sarah Canada will offer insights into how innovations move from concept to field trials. Attendees will also explore how digital mapping and cloud tools are changing farm credit and insurance through a session led by experts from Agri-Access and Burns Insurance.

April Hemmes, an Iowa farmer and ag advocate, will host an open-floor Q&A. The event also includes the Tigress Teams Activity with group coaching on leadership, legal awareness, and career development.

Tickets are available for $199 with Tech Hub LIVE access or $299 for WiAT only. Learn more at techhublive.com/women-in-ag-tech.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-zoran-zeremski

Video: Women in Ag. The Promotion of Female Farmers through Social Media | Madalyn Thayer | TEDxBGSU

Less than 1% of Americans are farmers. The majority of those farmers are men. Many people have minimal experience with farms and agriculture. High schools are getting rid of their FFA programs and many colleges, including BGSU, do not have agricultural programs or classes. There is a new social media phenomenon where women are making content based on their farming endeavors and gaining lots of traction. Education is the one of the most important parts of agriculture, because the more people know the more they will emphasize with farmers and create policy that benefits everybody. Female farmers have taken to social media sharing their experience in the agricultural world. These women are breaking stereotypes and educating everyday citizens about farming which is extremely important for the future of agriculture. Madalyn is 19 years old and will be gradated with her bachelors degree in communication on December 2024. She lives on a farm and have spent lots of time working in agriculture. She has her own farmers market and love learning about all subjects, especially agriculture. She was on the BGSU Firelands Student government from 2021-2023 as a CCP Ambassador and was awarded the 3&1 communication excellency award in April of 2024. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.