Farm Management Email
Women Shaping Agriculture is an initiative in which Michigan State University Extension educators host conversational interviews that enable women to share their experiences and perspectives about their diverse roles in Michigan agriculture.
Women Shaping Agriculture hosted an online forum on March 31, 2021 in honor of International Women’s History Month, titled “Women in Agriculture: Taking a seat at the table with confidence.” The event, co-sponsored by GreenStone Farm Credit Services, featured Nichole Wilcox of GreenStone Farm Credit Services as the keynote speaker and a panel of three prominent women in Michigan agriculture, including Laura Braun, Jennifer Lewis, and Amy Martin. The event was organized by MSU Extension staff members, Florencia Colella, Mary Dunckel, Melissa McKendree, and Amber Echlin of GreenStone Farm Credit Services.
Capital News Service
For the past 25 years, Leann Szakal and her husband have operated a dairy farm with 80 cows in Corunna, Michigan, with the help of their three children.
As the price of milk began to decline in 2015 and operating costs increased, Szakal struggled to meet her operating loan payments with GreenStone Farm Credit Services. Unable to make the payments in spring 2020, Szakal refinanced her loan which she will now repay over the next 20 years.
“Input costs have drastically changed in the last five years,” Szakal said. “It’s nearly impossible for a small farm to survive because input costs are too high.”
Photos courtesy of Wisconsin OYF
OUTSTANDING FARMERS: Five couples competed for Wisconsin’s 2021 Outstanding Young Farmer Award. They are (front, from left) runners-up Joe and Ashley Dudkiewicz, Crivitz, and winners Jennifer and Shane Sauer, Waterloo. In back (from left) are Leslie and Scott Svacina, Deer Park, and Jenny and Michael Jenson, Elk Mound. Clint and Erin Hodorff, Eden, are not in the photo. Shane and Jennifer Sauer farm 650 acres and milk 150 cows.
Shane and Jennifer Sauer of Waterloo, Wis., were selected as the Wisconsin 2021 Outstanding Young Farmers during the 67th annual OYF awards weekend, held Jan. 22-23 in Neenah, Wis.