INITIATIVES
Women in Agribusiness
Demeter Award of Excellence
Each year three exceptional women in agribusiness are chosen from dozens of nominations from peers and colleagues, and self-nominations as well, to receive the WIA Demeter Award of Excellence. Celebrated and noted for their outstanding achievements in food and agriculture, the trio are honored onstage at the annual Women in Agribusiness Summit in September.
This year, in recognition of 2026 being the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) as designated by the United Nations, Women in Agribusiness has added a fourth award exclusively for female farmers. The American Farm Bureau Federation is collaborating with WIA on this special award segment and will help review candidates and select the recipient, as well as join the onstage award presentation at the annual Summit.
Nominations for all awards are now welcome and must be received by June 22, 2026. See the nomination form here, and more details below.
Note that recipients of the Award must be available to attend the 2026 Women in Agribusiness Summit (September 22-24 in New Orleans) to receive their award.
Read about all the past Demeter recipients and their contributions to agribusiness here.
Nominations for these exceptional women reflect the following criteria:
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A minimum of 10 years of experience in the agriculture and/or food industry.
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Notable professional achievements.
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An inspiring role model for other women in the industry.
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Actively dismantles barriers, fosters opportunities, and acts as a valuable resource for others.
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Consistently exemplifies professionalism.
2025 WIA DEMETER AWARD OF EXCELLENCE RECIPIENTS:
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Leah Anderson, WinField United and Land O’Lakes, Inc. (absent from awards ceremony)
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Frances Churchill, Kansas State University (right)
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Sara Neagu-Reed, International Produce Association
Student Scholarships
Student Scholarships give young women that are aspiring to join the agribusiness community, the opportunity to make important industry connections, see the many career options available, and learn about the trends and issues facing the industry today. Scholarships are supported by our generous sponsors and private individuals.
Attending students enjoy:
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Camaraderie with peers from across the country
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Sponsored lunch and workshop just for students
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Access to all speaking sessions and breakouts
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All receptions and special activities
Applicants must be full-time upperclassmen undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral candidate students attending an accredited college or university. Scholarship applications to join the 2026 Summit in New Orleans are DUE by July 12, 2026.
Learn about all of our 2025 scholarship recipients. Read how attending the conference impacted a past scholars' professional career and helped them step into the industry in this WIA Today article.
Where do student scholars end up? These past scholars will tell you: Devon Smolak, Bridget Silvernail, Paige Stevenson, Priyamvadha Sivakumar and Haylee Vanscoy.
Sponsor a Student
Sponsoring a student to attend the WIA summit is an effective and inspiring choice. This unique opportunity provides an enriching and exceptional experience for a full-time agricultural student, and it shows your organization's commitment to developing our industry's future leaders.
Please contact us if you wish to learn more about sponsoring a student to attend the WIA Summit.
Event Partner Opportunities
Join the growing list of leading agribusiness organizations that help produce this important initiative for women
Women in Agribusiness engages in event partnerships with relevant publications, associations and sector organizations for each of its conferences.
These partnerships provide no-cost promotion for both parties and include mentions in email blasts, banner ad placement, and more. Plus, our partners get the advantage of a first-look at our speakers, agenda, and onsite opportunities.
Please contact us for more details on becoming a partner.