In early June, Christine Russell, Shawnee County and Ashley Jacobson, Marshall County, attended American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Women’s Leadership program — the Advocate, Cultivate, Empower (ACE) Summit in Washington, D.C. The summit highlighted 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Marieta Hauser, Grant County, who serves as Kansas Farm Bureau's 9th District Director and is on the AFBF Women's Leadership Committee, also attended the summit.

 

The summit is designed to teach attendees skills to strengthen their voices and improve their leadership skills within agricultural communities. Through featured keynote speakers, panels and breakout sessions, plus discussions with industry stakeholders and visits to Capitol Hill, the three-day event was a reminder of the vast contributions women make every day in agriculture.

Christine Russell attended the conference to grow her network and learn from others outside of her own perspectives.

“I have wanted to attend the ACE summit the past few years, so I was excited to have the opportunity this year,” Russell says. “I enjoy connecting with others in the industry throughout the U.S., so this was another chance to do that and also gain information from women in other areas of agriculture.”

Russell and her husband, Matthew, raise Angus cattle north of Topeka. They both work full-time jobs but enjoy raising high-quality beef consumers and their own family can enjoy.

“Being a female in agriculture gives me a sense of pride because I know how hard we work to take care of our animals and to provide high-quality food for people, and how resilient we are,” Russell says. “There is still a general perception that farming is mainly for men, but women are the backbone of a lot of operations and are a big force in helping advance the agriculture industry.”

The summit’s theme around Advocate, Cultivate, Empower encouraged Russell to take in those three aspects of agriculture and consider how it pertains to her as a female.

Advocate
 “Around advocating, the summit helped me prepare and gave me more confidence to talk to politicians and gave me valuable tips on how to speak up, stand out and inspire change,” she says. “Listening to women from other countries talk about their challenges they have overcome in their countries and here in the U.S. was inspiring.”   

Cultivate
 “I enjoy helping and encouraging younger generations pursue their dreams of getting involved in agriculture,” Russell says of the cultivate topic. “Watching my kids and grandkids on our farm means so much to our family and encouraging them to learn through agriculture is expanding their world.”

Empower
 “After attending, I feel more empowered to talk about what we do and how we contribute to feeding and sustaining our communities,” she says. “I feel like this topic also falls into mental health. Two sessions, 'Owning your ambition’ and ‘Weathering the storm’ helped me feel empowered to give myself and others more grace. As women, we tend to take care of everyone and everything else, and a lot of times don’t make ourselves a priority and give ourselves grace. These sessions specifically helped me learn how to manage feeling overwhelmed and prevent burnout. I want to not only do this for myself but also my spouse and encourage others to do the same.” 

If you’re a female in agriculture, conferences and summits like these are a way to network, learn and grow your voice in the industry. Learn more about the ACE Summit here. The Women Grow the Farm Conference held in Manhattan is another great opportunity for women in agriculture.