Women have always played a crucial role in agriculture, but their contributions often go unnoticed. Sarah Schmidt shares her experience growing up on a dairy farm in Minnesota, where gender never defined the roles on the farm. She emphasizes that agriculture is about talent and hard work, not gender. This sentiment is echoed in her professional journey, where she has found mentors in both male and female colleagues. Schmidt now serves as the vice president of marketing for Associated Milk Producers, Inc. Her start in agriculture also began in the dairy industry. That included her year as Minnesota’s Princess Kay of the Milky Way. With that experience, Schmidt’s likeness was carved in butter at the Minnesota State Fair. “I’m the oldest of four, one brother and then two sisters. All three of us girls have butterheads. My Mom actually grew up in Chicago. When she moved to Minnesota for school, studying animal science, she thought the Minnesota State Fair was the coolest thing and that the butterhead was amazing. For her to have three girls with butterheads is very, very special. Our three butterheads are still in full form in the freezer on the farm in Hutchinson, Minnesota.” Watch the interview.
