From farms to schools to businesses, the ag industry is made up of talented and hard-working women. Many of these women started from an early age and have turned their early talents in ag into thriving careers. Here at Dairy Council of California, we have many women ag leaders on our staff. In honor of National Women in Agriculture Day on March 24th, we are shining a spotlight on two such women on our team. Both speak to the value of their beginnings in agriculture, their path to successful careers in ag and the strong sense of community in the industry that weaves us all together.

Shannan Young, RDN, SNS, Partnerships and Programs Officer

What is your background working with ag? 
I grew up on a 23-acre farm in the Capay Valley located in northern California. I worked with my dad helping tend our almond orchard and growing a variety of crops. I was very involved in the FFA where I raised a sheep each year for fair and was active in leadership, including vice president my senior year. While working on my community nutrition degree at U.C. Davis, I worked at Contadina, a tomato processing facility in Woodland, California, where I spent my summers learning all about how tomatoes go from seed to your grocery store. This is where I developed a passion for how food is made and the complexity of the food system—how food goes from farm to table. 

Was your family into ag? 
Farming was not my parents’ main job. Almonds were not very popular back in the ’80s so getting a contract each year with the local processors was challenging. My dad owned his own construction company, and my mom was a nurse. We did raise our own steer for beef each year, along with tending a large garden to grow our own fruit and vegetables. Everything we cooked was from scratch, and milk was a staple at each meal. Growing up as a country kid is a lot of hard work, but it’s rewarding to connect with the land and animals around you. 

What are some of the positive experiences you draw from, being involved in ag from an early age to today? 
Growing up in rural California I learned to work hard and to take pride in doing work that helps others. This is why I love being a dietitian. I have dedicated my career to helping children and communities learn how to eat healthfully and to improving access to healthy foods.  

What do you do today for Dairy Council of California, and how has your background in ag shaped your career? 
As our partnership and programs officer, I am honored to work for an organization that depends on ag, plus I get to work with both dairy farmers and processors. Dairy Council of California is committed to improving the health of children and communities through the pursuit of healthy, sustainable eating patterns. This cause is something I am very passionate about as I believe dairy foods are an important part of healthy eating patterns. 

What do you love about your connection to ag?
The dairy community is incredible and very dedicated to community health. In fact, it has been funding Dairy Council of California for over 104 years to work on community health through improved access and knowledge of dairy foods. 

Miranda Blagg, Industry Relations Coordinator

What is your background working with ag?  
My family has always been around agriculture, and I grew up in a small rural town surrounded by different types of agriculture. My parents did not work in the ag industry, but we always helped our extended family harvest almonds and work their cattle and goats. I joined 4-H at 11 years old, began showing hogs and then transitioned into FFA where I showed hogs and replacement heifers. 

What are some of the positive experiences you draw from, being involved in ag from an early age to today?
The most positive experiences through ag are always the ones where your community comes together to help each other out. It can be as simple as helping your neighbors harvest their crop before the rain hits. There is a great sense of community in ag, and most everyone wants to help each other so we can all succeed. 

What do you do today for Dairy Council of California, and how has your background in ag shaped your career?
I am the industry relations coordinator for Dairy Council of California, and my background in ag has shaped my career from learning how to lead and advocate for agriculture in FFA and 4-H to furthering my passion for the dairy industry in college. I now advocate for milk and dairy as part of a healthy eating pattern on behalf of the dairy industry. 

What do you love about your connection to ag?
The sense of community! We all have a common goal to produce a healthy and sustainable product that can feed the world.