Agriculture + Lifestyle
Summit prepares women to rise and thrive
by Jennifer Whittaker
GFB News Editor
Posted on May 24, 2026 12:09 PM
Women representing numerous commodities and jobs in Georgia agriculture had a blast at the Georgia Farm Bureau Women in Agriculture Summit held March 19 & 20 in Savannah. Among the fun, they networked, cultivated leadership skills, learned ag advocacy tips for social media, and how to rebut fear-based food marketing campaigns.
“It’s pretty special that we gathered for this summit during Ag Week, National Women’s History Month and the International Year of the Woman Farmer,” said GFB Women’s Leadership Committee Chairman Romy Strickland. “I hope the attendees leave this conference with renewed energy and new ideas for the ag promotion work they do in their communities. We hope you have found Farm Bureau to be a place you can plug into.”
Celebrating the International Year of the Woman Farmer
In the opening session of the summit, speakers praised the attendees for the contributions they make to agriculture and recognized the United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. Learn more at www.gfb.ag/iywf .
GFB President Tom McCall thanked the ladies attending the summit for what they do to feed, clothe and house the world.
“Behind every successful harvest, there’s a lady whose name you may not ever hear, but she is a main component of feeding the world. Y’all care about the land. Y’all care about the livestock. Y’all care about your families and the legacies your families leave,” McCall said. “Don’t ever let anyone downplay what you bring to agriculture. The work you do as ladies for Georgia Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau matters. We appreciate you and want your input.”
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College President Dr. Tracy Brundage delivered the opening session keynote speech. She said 53% of the students enrolled in ABAC’s School of Agriculture & Natural Resources are women.
“When I look around this room, I see the leaders those students will look up to. This is why our work and our courage matter so much,” Brundage said. “Dr. Brene Brown teaches that courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen. It means stepping into rooms where your authority may be questioned. It means making decisions not everyone will like. It may be invisible in ways that are uncomfortable, especially when you are the first or the only one charting new territory.”
Living extraordinary lives
Courtenay DeHoff /Photo by Logan Thomas
Motivational speaker Courtenay DeHoff shared her cowgirl code for living a legendary, extraordinary life. DeHoff grew up the fifth generation on her family’s Kansas ranch where she rode horses, tied goats in rodeos and showed cattle. She attended Oklahoma State University, earning a degree in ag communications. After completing an internship at a TV station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, she continued working there for three years.
To pursue a TV career in larger markets, DeHoff traded her cowboy hat and boots for heels and fake eyelashes.
“I got to interview big-name stars like Michael B. Jordan, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, but I burst into tears every day on the way home from work because I wasn’t being my authentic self,” DeHoff shared. “It took me 10 years to figure out I was hiding the best part of me – the ag kid – to fit into an industry I thought I wanted to be part of. My legendary life didn’t begin until I decided to quit TV and show up as the person I was meant to be. We need all kinds of people in agriculture.”
DeHoff said a Forbes survey shows 900 million people worldwide feel unfulfilled.
“This tells me these people are living their life through a filter of fear, not faith. I want to inspire you not to be one of these people,” DeHoff said.
Being a cowgirl is a mindset, not an occupation, DeHoff says. Her principles for living a legendary life are:
Courage: Have the courage to show up the way you truly are.
Originality: Be who you were created to be.
Worthiness: Believe you are worthy of doing extraordinary things.
Grit: Develop it/use it when challenges arise.
Integrity: Exercise it. In ag, integrity sets us apart.
Resiliency: When you’re told “no,” keep going. Find another way to contribute.
Legendary: What you’ll be by being your authentic self.
“Imagine if you don’t have the courage to show up what you might miss out on,” DeHoff said. “Have the courage to not listen when people criticize you and your dreams.”