Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

International Women’s Day – Shannon Douglass

International Women’s Day – Shannon Douglass
Mar 03, 2025
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Douglass is the president of the California Farm Bureau

Leading up to International Women’s Day on March 8, Farms.com will be speaking with as many women in ag as possible about three topics:

  • What would you tell your 12-year-old self about being a farmer?
  • Advice you have for women new to the ag industry
  • Identify a woman in ag you consider a mentor or inspiration

The first woman Farms.com is highlighting is Shannon Douglass, who in December 2023 became the first female president of the California Farm Bureau.

Along with her husband, Kelly, and their 13-year-old son, Heath, her family owns Douglass Ranch in Glenn County, Calif., a diversified operation that includes beef cattle, walnuts, forage crops, and more.

Shannon DouglassHer path to farm ownership, however, wasn’t linear.

Douglass didn’t grow up on a farm but grew up with a rural lifestyle that included 4-H and FFA which helped develop her passion for agriculture.

“I’m not a multi-generational farmer but I am a multi-generational 4-Her,” she told Farms.com.

Douglass met Kelly while studying at California State University, Chico.

Looking back to when she was around her son’s age, Douglass would tell her younger self to explore every opportunity.

“I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and at that age the world really is your oyster,” she said. “There’s a bliss to being naïve where you just keep trying to do things. The best things are going to lie out on that limb when you try to go out on it and try something different.”

For young people entering the ag industry, Douglass has multiple pieces of advice.

One is to accept and understand that career paths have ebbs and flows.

The other piece of advice is to open as many doors as possible.

“I really encourage young people to get involved with industry organizations because networking can be incredibly valuable,” she said. “If you want to be an owner-operator, getting down that path is not easy. But having a network of people who are going through similar challenges helps you understand you’re not alone.

“Or if you’re a certified crop advisor who works with farmers now but wants to get more into the research side of things, until you’ve been exposed to it and worked with those people, it can be a little limiting if you don’t build a network.”

When it comes to highlighting a mentor, Douglass couldn’t pick one.

That’s because there’s strength in numbers, she says.

“I’ve been so fortunate so have so many people in those roles,” she said. “My high school ag teacher, Laurie Goss, was not only my teacher but also my life coach at times. Through Farm Breau I’ve met people like Janet Kister and Debbie Jacobson. I have a long list of wonderful mentors and support people who are willing to encourage you and bring you back to reality when needed.”

Be sure to check Farms.com often this week for more profiles leading up to International Women’s Day.


Trending Video

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

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.