Just in time for International Women’s Day, meet the legendary Pam Jahnke from The Mid-West Farm Report. Also known as “The Fabulous Farm Babe,” Pam discusses the inspiring evolution of women’s roles in agriculture. Discover what kinds of barriers women used to face and some they continue to face today. Also, you’ll learn how female leadership has made a powerful impact in the industry. Enjoy this fun and spirited dialog about a very important topic!
Just in time for International Women’s Day, meet the legendary Pam Jahnke from The Mid-West Farm Report. Also known as “The Fabulous Farm Babe,” Pam discusses the inspiring evolution of women’s roles in agriculture. Discover what kinds of barriers women used to face and some they continue to face today. Also, you’ll learn how female leadership has made a powerful impact in the industry. Enjoy this fun and spirited dialog about a very important topic!
Hello, and welcome to the Topcon Talks Agriculture podcast, where we dive into the world of farming and its impact on our daily lives. My name is Dan Hendricks, and I'm your host for today. I serve as the Senior Business Development Manager at Topcon Agriculture, and I get the pleasure to work with an amazing group of talented individuals who love agriculture. They enjoy technology, and they strive to help farmers and growers find solutions and feed our planet. Today's episode is all about celebrating and understanding the role of women in agriculture. Some of you may know that International Women's Day is coming up in March. At Topcon, we strive to promote, empower, and appreciate women every day. We know that females play a huge part in agriculture. So in today's episode, we are going to celebrate women and learn how their role in farming and ranching is ever evolving. Our guest for today's episode is Pam Yanky, otherwise known as the Fabulous Farm Babe. Pam is a Wisconsin native who grew up on her family's 200 acre dairy farm. Pam is also dedicated to agriculture throughout her life, being actively involved in both four H and FFA activities. While in college, she started the campus's first ever farm show on the radio and received top national Scholarship from the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. More recently, Pam served as the 2010 president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting, and in 2013 was named Farm Broadcaster of the Year and was just inducted into their hall of fame in November. Pam, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2:My pleasure, Dan. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you're a hall of famer. I, I think that's the first time we've had a hall of famer on the podcast.
Speaker 2:I gotta try to figure out how I'm gonna, they said some of my buddies were teasing me about how you have to sign your name and then h o f on the bottom now. So
Speaker 1:<laugh>, right? Yes. Yeah. Well, that's so cool. Congratulations on that. Well, tell us a little bit more about your personal background growing up on a farm in Wisconsin. What were some of your duties as a young woman? Sure.
Speaker 2:I'm the oldest of three, so, uh, there was my younger sister, my younger brother. I didn't, uh, you know, my neighbors were relatives and family farming back then literally meant all of my family was kind of around the area. So it was, uh, interesting way to grow up. And the reason I say that is because, uh, there was a lot of, uh, camaraderie trying to farm together. If, uh, we needed help pulling a calf, the boys were always across the 40 and would come over and help do that, bailing hay, things like that. Now, one of the things that was challenging for me on the farm is I'm asthmatic. Um, and that time back in that, you know, that day they didn't really know how to handle children with asthma, especially kids that were on the farm. So a lot of it was learned by doing. Uh, if we were bailing hay and it was really dusty, then I'd have to head into the house. But generally, where you always found me was wherever my dad was. Um, I knew how to change oil in the tractor faster than I knew how to, uh, make anything in the kitchen. I've always gravitated towards, uh, doing that kind of stuff. I showed dairy cattle, uh, despite my pediatrician's recommendations. Uh, so I was always fooling around in the barn. And if you ask my parents, that was, that was my forte fooling around in the barn. Things got done, but I had fun while I was doing it. So, uh, like I said, I'm one of those kids that grew up in a very joyful house. Um, it wasn't necessarily fi financially fantastic all the time, but I had no idea cuz I had all my family there. So you always had playmates. Uh, there was always something to do fun on the farm. Uh, you know, you jump jump on your bike and drive o right over to the neighbors if you were bored at your place. So I, uh, I had, you know, meager chores really. Um, like, like I said, I was always as loud as I am now, so they didn't really want me<laugh> walking in the barn, skiing the cows. I like to keep cabs and do stuff like that. But like I said, uh, a lot of my, a lot of my duties, uh, and things that I ended up ultimately being engaged in were off-farm. Uh, my dad always said that, uh, they saw less of the 73 olds mobile as soon as I got a driver's license, just because I was always gone. I was in livestock judging, I was in extemporaneous speaking, I was doing all that kind of stuff. So, like I said, I am one of those farm kids that grew up with a lot of joy about where I was and what was going on. And now mind you, our farm was 20 miles north of Green Bay, so you're in challenging terrain as far as agriculture's concerned. Corn, soybeans were not being grown in that region when I was a kid. Uh, and corn was a challenge. It<laugh> it was really good to feed deer, but as far as number two yellow, that was, that was a struggle in that geography at that time with the technology we had at that time. So, like I said, still all in all, I grew up with a lot of joy about where I was, my family, what we were doing. And that kind of has carried me through, honestly, in my entire career.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Well, it sounds like a, a great, uh, a great upbringing, you know, a fantastic childhood story, and you told us about your asthma, but, but being so, and you told us about kind of being your dad's little, uh, right hand helper, but a as a female, were your responsibilities around the farm, did they differ from your brothers or from men or, I mean, did you find anything different because you were a girl that you were treated different as far as responsibilities?
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, and some of that was for my own good, quite honestly. I mean, um, I was the young, so all of my cousins across the 40, the youngest was two years older than me. So when it came to the physical side of agriculture, I could be there and try to help, but you really needed the guys on some of the big projects. Um, and, and when that happened, I just remember standing back, back and watching, paying attention to how they were doing what they were doing. Um, and remember my sister was, uh, five years younger than me. My brother was 13 years younger than me. We laugh. That was the one night mom and dad got in early from chores<laugh>. And so I didn't, I, I mean, there was no comparison as to what the, what the chores were. If there was something to be done, I was the one doing it. My sister would feed the cats or do something like that. But there was just enough of that age gap as far as, uh, you know, physical development and that type of thing. It was just easier for me to do what had to be done. And like I said, my dad was always there. Uh, my mom grew up in downtown Minneapolis, but she ended up with 16 degrees, uh, in college courses or, you know, doing the night work stuff. So, like I said, my parents were both equally engaged in getting things done. And, you know, like you said, was I physically doing everything? Not necessarily, but I had, um, an example of how to do it, how to do it right, how to learn that we shouldn't have done it that way. And it involved both my, both my parents, my mom and my dad. And then, like I said, with the extended family there too.
Speaker 1:Well, what has maintained your interest in agriculture after all this time?
Speaker 2:I just love it. You know, it's, uh, when I, when I initially went to school at UW River Falls, uh, my goal was to become an agriculture attorney. And my goal there was, was primarily because at that time, farms were dealing with tremendously high interest rates. We were seeing a lot of foreclosures. Um, I suddenly felt that the industry I love was in a very precarious position, and I wanted to try to do something to mitigate that. Well, fast forward to River Falls, but my sophomore year, one of my professors said, yank, why don't you wake up and smell the coffee? You never shut up. You're talking to everybody. Do you really wanna have to go to school another six years? Why don't you go over to journalism and see if they've got, uh, something that, uh, you know, can kind of combine your strengths. Uh, farm broadcaster, I did my first internship with the farm broadcaster in western Wisconsin. Bob Bosal, who is still my mentor today, and I kid you not Dan, the day that I interviewed and found out what a farm broadcaster can do and does, it was like a switch went off in my entire body. It was like, this is what God has meant for me to do. This is it. And, uh, I haven't looked back since. Honestly, I've always loved the industry because I've got such fun, you know, like I said, when I'm out doing my job, everybody in the audience reminds me of my family. So I, I very much, uh, have always been tapped into that. But like I said, when I found a profession that spoke to me so, so deeply, so suddenly I knew I was hooked.
Speaker 1:So you knew that was it. So you gave up on the, the, the law career, huh? Correct.
Speaker 2:I mean, I, I'm, you never look back. I, I admire those that are in it. I don't think at that time I, I wouldn't have had the financial bank roll to keep going. So, like I said, I'm just blessed that when I left River Falls, I had a broad area agriculture degree and a broadcast journalism degree because, uh, ag journalism was not a thing at that time.
Speaker 1:Right, right. So, who are some of your mentors? And you told us one of them, but what are some of the biggest lessons that you've taken from them?
Speaker 2:I'd say probably, you know, obviously, uh, mentors to me, somebody that's managed to survive in the industry regardless of sex. Um, uh, you know, anybody in agriculture knows that we've seen a lot of changes, a lot of evolutions. Uh, some people gravitate towards it, can handle it, can move on. Others decide that they're gonna pivot, go in a different direction or exit the industry in its entirety. So I have always been thinking about the endgame. How am I going to continue to do what I love, be around the people that I enjoy and love? And so I'm always strategizing on how I'm going to do that, and taking both positives and negatives from people I have watched, uh, when I was building my farm network, um, I saw what was happening in agriculture. Farms were covering more acres. They were buying up ground, they were getting bigger. I knew that as a farm broadcaster, I had to do the very same thing. You cannot stand alone on one, let's say for example, AM station when I first started my career and expect that to give you enough through retirement. So I started building my network and I looked at all of my peers in farm broadcasting, and if somebody had failed, I recognized what they might have done wrong and made sure I, my game plan didn't go that way. Uh, for others that were maybe ahead of the cut, I was paying attention to them. So a lot of my, a lot of my peers are fellow farm broadcasters, um, most of which that are still in the game. Um, and then, you know, like I said, uh, I'm fortunate, my husband's involved in agriculture. Uh, he's a, a a sales professional with a major company. And so I'm in that orbit of seeing what other professionals are doing. And although they may not be doing the same thing, I think we're all generally in the same career track of trying to make the right decision. So, like I said, I take from anybody that's got it, got it going on, and that, uh, has something to offer for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Well, you've done a fantastic job with that. Tell us about a pivotal moment in your career and walk me through some of the biggest takeaways from what you've learned in your career.
Speaker 2:Sure. Um, I think probably the first was when I got that national scholarship from the farm broadcasters for doing a campus radio show. My, my running buddies at college, all my posse could not believe that as a college student, I was getting up and going to the station and signing the station on at 6:00 AM and then going to class and then future talking, in talking some of my other buddies that were interested into doing the same thing,<laugh>. I see. So, yeah, you know, it was kind of the pied piper and all of a sudden I had a little trail of people behind me that were, are, were seeing what it provided. So getting that national scholarship suddenly, um, was kind of that snap on the snot that said, Hey, you could do this. You, you have the right cut if you keep doing the right things. So that was the first time I, and I liken it, especially when I talk with other women. The way I approach what I do is as my career, it is not a job. This is my career. And a career requires attention every day. A req a career requires thoughtfulness, not just on what you're going to do today and who you're going to touch today, but what's gonna happen five, 10 years down the road. I very much take my career seriously. And, and like I said, because of that, I'm always kind of strategizing or always trying to figure out what's coming up next. And that started with that scholarship and, and being exposed. I got, I went down to the national convention. First time I'd seen people just like me doing the same thing that I wanted to do, and there was a lot of them. So it was, it that was interesting. So I think that was probably the big one. One of the big ones. The other thing was when I, when I got the call to come to Madison, I am very much a small town girl. I e you know, everybody's truck that drives by, uh, the hub of activity is the grocery store at church and the post office, that kind of thing. Uh, you know, your neighbors, you're the casserole queen When something goes wrong or when something is good, you know, run with casserole. So I interviewed for the job, my first job in Madison in 1990 on a dare. One of my buddies said, Hey, uh, this fellow's gonna retire. I dare ya. Well, in my circle, you ca you, you don't back down on a dare. So, so I did, just thought nothing of it really. And, uh, by golly, two weeks later they called me and made me an offer. And I had just gotten married. We'd only been married for like a year and a half. We had just bought a house in northwest Wisconsin. My husband at that time had his own independent crop consulting business. And now all of a sudden, bam, we gotta make this major life decision. And so my husband and I came to Madison, visited with management, worked out all the details, and, uh, you know, basically my husband said, I can't afford to keep you home. You know, you, you've gotta do this. So for four years we were a commuter marriage and wow. Um, I never imagined living in Madison ever, ever, ever. Um, I need to know my neighbors. I need to, I need to feel that cohesiveness. And I thought, man, this ain't gonna last. Madison's not going to like me, or I'm not going to like Madison. Something's gonna give. And it has not, it has been truly a blessing. And so, like I said, four years worth of burning tires and gas up and down the interstate. Um, but I'm still married to the same guy,<laugh>. And we're, you know, like I said, we're both, uh, still in love with the industry. So I'd say those are probably the two pivotal times in my life. One was kind of that first reckoning that you are going to be committed to an industry and you're gonna have to hustle to stay in the industry. And then the second was, was, oh my gosh, are you kidding me? This kid from Abrams is good enough. I say with air quotes, good enough to be in the Madison market. And like I said, my first broadcast was, uh, and Madison was World Dairy Expo in 1990. So I guess me and Madison are getting along all right so far.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Well, well those are great life lessons to share and uh, that's really, really a cool experience. Let me switch over now to some statistics that, um, I dug up about women in agriculture, and then we'll talk a little bit about, more about the, the role of women. The agriculture departments just unveiled census of agriculture revealed that 36% of US farmers are women, and 56% of all farms have at least one female decision maker. Also, in 2019, more than half, 51% of all farm operations in the United States had at least one female operator. Arizona and New Hampshire have the greatest number of farms whose principle owner is a woman. One out of every three New Hampshire Farms is run by a woman, and that's more than twice the national average. So hearing those statistics, which I'm sure you're aware of, what are some of the most critical characteristics required to success in this industry as a woman, Pam?
Speaker 2:Well, you know, Wisconsin's got more than 10,000 operations that are run by women as well. So we've got a very strong presence in that arena, and you'll see it in the commodity organization's, uh, associations, events that happen in the state. And I think the characteristic that you see, uh, through and through, especially for those that are my generation a little bit older, is, uh, the commitment, whether it was your family farm or whether it was your husband's or what have you, it's that commitment to making it work, sticking with it, making good decisions, uh, perhaps a legacy piece so that the kids have a chance, uh, to come back. So I think that that's one common thread is just the commitment to the industry. And that can show in a lot of different ways. Um, maybe it is, uh, the four H and FFA connection that you value because you saw your kids growing up in it and you still wanna see your grandkids doing it. So there's that kind of commitment. Uh, maybe it's the stories about the individual farmsteads, which we love to share on our network, but I think that, that, that flat out, Dan, is the commitment to sticking with it. If you're looking for, you know, this, if you're looking for something easy to do, don't come around agriculture, because I have yet to find anybody that considers it an easy way to build a career or make a life, uh, the day, maybe one day he'll feel that, but all the rest you're gonna find challenges. So that commitment to sticking with it is without, without question one of the major tenants, tenants that I see of their success. And then, you know, really after that, it's just like every individual, they, they approach it differently. They have different strengths, uh, they focus on different areas and uh, and you know, like I said, they make it work.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely as a calling. Yeah, that, that's good wisdom. Tell me about some of the changes in the industry that have happened, uh, for women in your lifetime in sure. In your, your time on radio and in your role and in your career. What have you seen changed? Yeah,
Speaker 2:It's, it's been very interesting. I think that in my age bracket, we've probably witnessed, uh, more change. And I will say to the positive, for women that wanna be involved in agriculture, and remember, you, you cited the statistics. Women in agriculture is not just on the farm. More than 50% of our FFA kids are female. You go to most of our land-grant universities, and you are going to find a heavy percentage that are female. They are our professionals that make up agriculture as well. So I'm not just gonna focus in on the farm, but, uh, what I, what I've really noticed, and, and<laugh>, again, it depends, it depends how you grew up. My mother was very vocal with my father about what was gonna happen on the farm, which bull calf's gonna go, which cow were we gonna keep, you know, there was constant, there was constant conversation. She was an active participant in that farm, despite the fact that she grew up in downtown Minneapolis. You know, when she got her groove on with what she knew, then she was articulate about, what are we going to do? Plus, as I'm sure was traditional at that time, ma was in charge of the books. Ma wrote the checks, she knew what the balance was. So I saw that interaction. Then what I noticed is as I grew older and when I was, um, started, started to do my farm broadcasting stuff, going out and interviewing, uh, people, I saw that other farm families were very much that way. Uh, the female always has had a role in decision making, but it just might not have been something that she demonstrated, you know, she didn't go out to the barn necessarily when, when the milk man came, she didn't, you know, it wasn't that it wasn't that way, but when she got, when the kitchen was where decisions were made, she was very much asking questions and, and being vocal. So I loved that. Um, and then now, like I said, I credit many of those women with the generation of women that are in, in agribusiness now. We saw that our mother's aunts were involved in the process, so we assumed nothing less. We, we, we knew that it had to be that way. And a lot of it also, Dan, quite frankly, are the fellas on the other side. My dad, I could do no wrong. My dad was my number one fan. There is nothing I can't do. The, the pep talks on, you know, what's a chubby kid from Abrams gonna do, uh, work going by a TV station to wear they absolute number one fans? So I always had that support. And then when I take a look at, uh, how rec well Received females are, a lot of that is if the fellas had a daughter, did they have a daughter that, uh, you know, I reminded them of there's a lot of that that still goes on today. Um, and I see how the, the many of the fellas have really had to come to grips with taking advice from somebody that reminds them of their daughter.
Speaker 1:I see.
Speaker 2:And, and being comfortable with those recommendations and, and, and being professional about, you know, how they're handling it. It's, it's new territory for a lot of them. Same thing with these agribusiness partners that are now finding themselves paired up with the next generation of sellers or of advisors or consultants. And now it's like, wow, this, I'm not, I nobody trained me for this. I don't know how to deal with this. Um, you know, so it, it, it is interesting to watch the dynamics go forward, but like I said, for a lot of us that are in the game, we either had a strong parent that was there, uh, making it very clear there's nothing we can't do. And that's carried over. And then, like I said, uh, when I look out at the farms today, be very, very careful. If you decide you are going to discount that female that might be sitting at the desk doing books or on the computer or heard records or whatever, she's paying attention. And if you don't pay attention that she's in the room, she has a thought, she has a question, then, uh, you may not find yourself welcome back. So, like I said, I think we're all feeling our way, but, uh, I think for a lot of us that, like I said, grew up in agriculture, maybe with a strong parent, aunt or somebody else, uh, we always knew we could do it. We might have to be a little bit more, people call me driven by my buddies have always said, I'm very driven. Well, maybe that's part of the element that I've found is necessary for success to be driven.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Well, that's a positive compliment to you and uh, it's good to hear your, your take on and the growth, you know, uh, that, that we've made in an industry of, uh, of accepting women. But, um, what are some of, of the changes that you hope to see like that maybe areas in agriculture and the role of females that we haven't yet got to, that you would look 10 or 20 years down the road and you say, I hope that this is where we're going.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm, I'm hap I like, I like seeing what I see. Um, I get excited with people like Beth Ford, uh, you know, c e o of Land O'Lakes. I, I very much admire her. I, I'd like to see more women in science that are confident and focusing on the future. I think that that's a excellent way to continue to elevate, uh, you know, the women in involved in agriculture. You know, my goal,<laugh> obviously, I hope we get to the point where it doesn't re, it doesn't matter if Pat is a boy or a girl, you know, where it gets to a neutral spot you want. And agriculture is a really great place to have this happen. What are we, we are science, science is facts. Science is research. Science is data sciences technology. And that has nothing to do with, uh, male female. Just bring me the goods, bring me the information, bring me the content. Stay true to that. And I think that's, that's one of the best platforms that, uh, females can make sure that they're standing on. Like I said, you've gotta know what you're doing, but everybody in agriculture does. You, you cannot take this. You have to be serious about what you're doing. But like I said, I, I like to see what I'm noticing. More women in the sciences, more women that are looking at engineering, um, you know, um, veterinarians, those types of things. You know, there was a time when it, your jaw would drop if you saw a female jump out of the truck at the farm for a veterinarian, unless it was maybe small animal. And now I see gals half my size that are out there, you know, palpating and taking care of things. So you're, you're only limited by the boundaries of your mind. Just keep going.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's good advice. What advice would you give to a a, a female that feels like that they are facing barriers? And you've kind of touched on this, but you know, if there's a young woman that's listening to us and feels like it, it it, she's maybe somewhat living in a male dominated world, what, what would advice would you give to her?
Speaker 2:Well, we, we are even this old broad, we are still in a male dominated profession. Uh, don't, don't, uh, just because I am still plowing doesn't mean that it has, has all been, you know, roses. I remember when I first came to Madison, and now mind you, they didn't tell me this and pro until probably almost 10 years after I was hired, they showed me letters from men in the audience that question management's decision making on bringing a female in to replace a male farm broadcaster. And I still have those letters just to make sure I'm keeping sharp. But, uh, I guess what, what I'd say is network with others. If you're not getting the right answers or the right support within your little circle, get a bigger circle. Uh, with social media today, there should be no bounds on where you find a mentor mentee, where you get those relationships, where you access that blog, that, that, uh, support mechanism. Uh, you know, like I said, um, I, I kind of kick it. Old school, when I started, there were no computers. There were no cell phones. Uh, you had to get out and hustle and that meant physical presence at meetings and that. But you can still get a read when you're in a room. You, you can get a read on people's body language. Do they wanna talk to you? Are they somebody that is genuinely interested in what you're doing and how you're doing it? Gravitate towards those people. You know, you don't have to have a lot of people that are your cheerleaders, if you will, uh, just make good choices on who they are. And like I said, with to, with regard to technology today, they don't have to be in the same neighborhood, the na same county, the same state, I venture to say the same country. So reach out to those sources. There are a lot of associations that have been created just for that kind of networking. Uh, and I, and I also would challenge, don't necessarily limit yourself just to agriculture. There are fantastic ideas and fantastic women leaders outside of our area of passion that can also share and give you, uh, insights into maybe some of the things that they've already challenged and how they've come up, uh, how they've managed to go through it. So, like I said, I am great at trying to find new energy cuz sometimes it's just that you just need a little more energy from other arenas, from other women, uh, just anybody. And it doesn't ma matter demographic. I don't care how old or how young they are. I, uh, I can get that vibe from, from all of'em.
Speaker 1:What is something that most men don't know or understand about the female experience in the agriculture industry? How can you help us guys?
Speaker 2:Well, I don't know if it's helped the guys or helped the gals. The one thing that really kind of still corks me is women are, women are expected to make a decision on career or kids that is still a bugaboo in this industry. And that goes for almost anybody in any part of agriculture. And I'll tell you cuz I've seen it in action. The under your breath comments or the snarky little, you know, comments that are made when all of a sudden you find out one of the up and comer young women is going out on maternity leave, that irritates me to no end. Now, full confession, I have no kids. I have two spoiled, she dogs. I have no kids. I made a conscientious decision that, that this career is my baby. This is where I wanted to focus. That's all on me. But like I said, I watch other women and all of a sudden when they decide they're gonna have a family, well, something's supposed to change, stay home, or they're, they're not supposed to advance to the next level within a company. I mean, there's still a lot of that that still goes on. And I would say for any woman that feels that reach out to others, um, I don't wanna get into a big swirl about it, but I still notice an undertone. There's still those little condescending comments about she's out on maternity, she won't come back. Or the the guys that are out in the field are out there doing it, they don't know now I gotta pick up all the slack or now she's not, she's gotta get, you know, she's gonna need more time to get to that next level of training or whatever. That is a bugaboo until we can figure out how he can carry the kid and deliver. It's, it's, it's, it's the gorilla in the room for a lot of, especially young women. And like I said, and then all of a sudden, uh, they decide maybe that it is they are going to stay home or they're going to work remotely or it's going to be part-time. And again, that condescension comes background and that, that lights me up. That makes me very, I, I get, if I notice it, I, I, uh, very quickly engage in conversation to try to stave it off.
Speaker 1:Right, right. Well, I I definitely can sense your passion and, and yeah, there's definitely more work that needs to be done with that. Let me go this way with you. What are some of your biggest current sources of inspiration and motivation as a woman in agriculture?
Speaker 2:Well, I think I cited one, uh, Beth Ford, the c e o and for Land O'Lakes, I just, I like, I like, uh, strong women that are put together, well organized, uh, able to think on their feet very well in front of large, large audiences, making big decisions that have big financial implications. I pay attention to those trendsetters, if you will. I also like, uh, thoughtful women that are using social media, social platforms, perhaps to advance an idea in a little bit different way that other people may not have even considered thought-provoking and thought-provoking, not just in agriculture, but consumers, that type of thing. And do it in a, do it in a very eloquent or thoughtful correct way. Uh, there's a lot of people that consider themselves, uh, you know, social media, um, stars and I, I might take issue with that. You know, I, I look for factual solid, well presented information across all streams. And like I said, when I find females doing that, I'm really, I'm very imp impressed. I'm also really impressed and like to see how women are moving. Um, maybe they got started in one area of agriculture and they're pivoting to another, having their own businesses, their their own firms, uh, things like that. I, I'm also noticing that and paying attention to that. I like that. Uh, and what I see there. And like I said, the other part is a lot of the, uh, students that I speak to on campus or at different events are not, uh, they're not going to be told no, they have no reason as they stand in front of me to believe that they are not going to have incredible success. And I think just that mind frame is healthy, you know, you're gonna, everybody get, gets dinged, everybody gets dinged. But just to be able to go in with the confidence and the unfettered excitement that you are not going to be stopped, you know, for older people maybe it's, it's still an issue for the younger generation that I have the pleasure of working with and watching. They don't think about it so much.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you for that inspiration, you know, inspiring o other young women. That's fascinating. So let me ask, what's next for you?
Speaker 2:World domination. That is my standard<laugh> that's my standard answer when my buddies ask me that. Um, you know, again, I always wanna do, this is the job. I love talking to farmers, sharing their stories, bringing consumers. I'm in Madison, so 80% of my audience doesn't know what in the blazes I'm talking about. So I have to keep them entertained and I have to give them a reason to wanna engage with the fabulous farm ba pay attention to what she's saying. So that is the daily conquest. That is what I constantly impounding on. The long term is to continue to build the brand, the fabulous Farm Babe and Midwest Farm Report. Keep building the brand. I only wanna, I mean, although I tease about world domination, I only wanna own Wisconsin. I am a homer. I am a homer. Grew up in Northeast Wisconsin, college in northwest Wisconsin, now I'm in southern Wisconsin. Some of my, uh, you know, the, the young ones that I talk to say, Hey, why didn't you ever go to Texas? Or some, you know, you farmers can smell BS a mile off and this dairy kid trying to talk feedlot, cotton, rice, wheat, that would be bs. I, I speak to what I know and, uh, the Temple of Wisconsin agriculture. So I, I just kind of wanna keep doing that. You know, I, I have been so blessed with all, with all the awards and the opportunity to travel the world and, you know, it's like a lot of things that you do, Dan, the longer you're in it, the deeper your resources, the deeper your relationships. Um, and especially in agriculture, we are a small pool. So when you've been in it like me for over 30 years, all of a sudden you, you get to know everybody in the room. And, and I like that. It's comforting to me. I like that It gives me, uh, like I said, it gives me perspective on how I wanna keep building the brand, uh, spreading, spreading it out and trying to take care of it.
Speaker 1:So it sounds like you've found success in being comfortable is staying in your lane, knowing what you're good at, and doing it and just doing it well. And that, that's, that's great wisdom. So Pam, this is a part of the podcast where you are a contestant on Fast and Furious Farming Facts. And this will help our listeners learn a little bit more about you. And I'm going to ask you 12 questions and I just need you to give me the first answer that pops in your head. All right? You got this?
Speaker 2:Sounds good.
Speaker 1:Okay, here we go. If you could farm anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Speaker 2:Green Bay.
Speaker 1:Name your favorite tractor, manufacturer.
Speaker 2:K S I H.
Speaker 1:Carhartt or Wranglers?
Speaker 2:Carhartt.
Speaker 1:What college sports team do you cheer for?
Speaker 2:College Badgers,
Speaker 1:Ford Dodge or Chevy Truck?
Speaker 2:Ford.
Speaker 1:What? Manure smells the worst. Cattle, hogs, chickens or turkeys?
Speaker 2:Jesus. That's, I've been around cattle all my life. Hog's catch my attention. Mm-hmm. Hogs catch my attention. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So do you prefer whole milk, 2% skim or lactose free?
Speaker 2:Nope. I go 2%. I'll go whole if it's available, but generally 2%.
Speaker 1:Choose one of these. Johnny Cash, George Strait, Blake Shelton or Luke Combs?
Speaker 2:Geez, I'll go. Luke Combs.
Speaker 1:Hmm. New school. Yeah. Who's your favorite character on Yellowstone?
Speaker 2:Oh, Kevin. John. John. John. John. Um, John
Speaker 1:Dutton
Speaker 2:There. Thank you. Gosh. Yeah. I all of a sudden saw him going off in the sunset with Matthew McConaughey. Come
Speaker 1:<laugh>, right? Favorite coffee brood at Home Gas Station or Starbucks?
Speaker 2:Ooh, brood at home.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Who spends the money on Starbucks?
Speaker 1:Would you rather go to Disney World, the county fair or Bucky's?
Speaker 2:You know, really? County Fair<laugh>? It's, it's friendlier on my pocket.
Speaker 1:Okay, last question. Who is the greatest stock car racer of all time? Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt. Jeff Gordon or Ricky Bobby?
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh. You know, those are feud words right there.
Speaker 1:<laugh>.
Speaker 2:Why can't I have my kid from Cambridge, Wisconsin? Matt, Kens
Speaker 1:Well, we can throw him in there. Okay, we'll throw him in there. Chance?
Speaker 2:I'm a homer. Dan, I told you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, go on with the hometown. There's nothing wrong with that. These are your answers. So there's no right or wrong answers here. So, Pam, I can't thank you enough for joining us here on the podcast today. It's been a pleasure. You've done a great job in helping us understand the important role that women play in agriculture, and we greatly appreciate that. And I wanna thank each of our listeners for tuning in today. Topcon appreciates all of our friends in agriculture who work so tirelessly to put food on our tables, cuz we believe farmers are the best. If you've enjoyed this episode, remember to like, share, and subscribe to Topcon Talks Agriculture podcast on Spotify, apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please tell your friends about us. We'd love for you to follow Topcon Agriculture on social media. See you next time. Go out and make it a great day.