Douglass is the president of the California Farm Bureau
Leading up to International Women’s Day on March 8, Farms.com will be speaking with as many women in ag as possible about three topics:
- What would you tell your 12-year-old self about being a farmer?
- Advice you have for women new to the ag industry
- Identify a woman in ag you consider a mentor or inspiration
The first woman Farms.com is highlighting is Shannon Douglass, who in December 2023 became the first female president of the California Farm Bureau.
Along with her husband, Kelly, and their 13-year-old son, Heath, her family owns Douglass Ranch in Glenn County, Calif., a diversified operation that includes beef cattle, walnuts, forage crops, and more.
Her path to farm ownership, however, wasn’t linear.
Douglass didn’t grow up on a farm but grew up with a rural lifestyle that included 4-H and FFA which helped develop her passion for agriculture.
“I’m not a multi-generational farmer but I am a multi-generational 4-Her,” she told Farms.com.
Douglass met Kelly while studying at California State University, Chico.
Looking back to when she was around her son’s age, Douglass would tell her younger self to explore every opportunity.
“I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and at that age the world really is your oyster,” she said. “There’s a bliss to being naïve where you just keep trying to do things. The best things are going to lie out on that limb when you try to go out on it and try something different.”
For young people entering the ag industry, Douglass has multiple pieces of advice.
One is to accept and understand that career paths have ebbs and flows.
The other piece of advice is to open as many doors as possible.
“I really encourage young people to get involved with industry organizations because networking can be incredibly valuable,” she said. “If you want to be an owner-operator, getting down that path is not easy. But having a network of people who are going through similar challenges helps you understand you’re not alone.
“Or if you’re a certified crop advisor who works with farmers now but wants to get more into the research side of things, until you’ve been exposed to it and worked with those people, it can be a little limiting if you don’t build a network.”
When it comes to highlighting a mentor, Douglass couldn’t pick one.
That’s because there’s strength in numbers, she says.
“I’ve been so fortunate so have so many people in those roles,” she said. “My high school ag teacher, Laurie Goss, was not only my teacher but also my life coach at times. Through Farm Breau I’ve met people like Janet Kister and Debbie Jacobson. I have a long list of wonderful mentors and support people who are willing to encourage you and bring you back to reality when needed.”
Be sure to check Farms.com often this week for more profiles leading up to International Women’s Day.