Erica Sawatzke decided to come back to the family turkey farm near Kensington, Minnesota in 2017. Since then she has helped their farm transition from a breeding operation to market birds and is the president of the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. “I love farming, but not every day is easy, you know?” Going through a farm transition, her husband’s recovery from leukemia, and recently a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak on their farm, Sawatzke knows the importance of having a support network. “It’s important to understand that not all of the photos of, you know, the perfect red barn on a green hill are exactly what those in agriculture deal with every day.” Getting involved in industry organizations outside of the farm has helped Sawatzke stay resilient. “They kind of help you navigate through challenging times.” Click here for the full interview with Erica Sawatzke.
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