Women in Ag Survey:
Mida Peterson Recognized
Gauging the Aspirations for Contributions to
and Needs of Women in Agriculture by WVDA
Lewis County Farm Bureau member Mida Peterson
Agriculture
was named one of the 2014 “Women In Ag” this year
The American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership
Program has launched “Women in Ag,” an online
survey that aims to gauge the goals, aspirations,
achievements and needs of women in American
agriculture in a number of different areas.
All women who are farmers, ranchers, farm/ranch
employees, employed in agricultural businesses,
pursuing ag-related higher education or supportive of
agriculture in other ways are invited to participate in
the survey at womeninag.fb.org. Respondents must
reside in the United States. Farm Bureau membership
is not required to participate.
“This comprehensive survey is the first of its kind
to ask women in-depth questions about how they are
connected to agriculture and what leadership skills
they think are most important today, as well as the
top business challenges they’re facing,” said Terry
Gilbert, a Kentucky farmer and chair of the American
Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee.
“All women involved in agriculture – not just Farm
Bureau members – are invited to participate in the
survey,” Gilbert emphasized.
Data collected from respondents will be used to
gauge trends related to the achievements of women in
agriculture, including leadership positions, business
successes and election to public office.
The AFB Women’s Leadership Committee is
sponsoring the survey and is working with other
farm and agriculture organizations to encourage
participation. Participants will be eligible for an
opportunity to win one of five $100 gift cards after
the survey closes. Preliminary findings from the
survey will be released in February 2015 at AFBF’s
FUSION Conference in Nashville, Tennessee; the full
report will be released in late spring.
by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.
Peterson has been a fixture at the WV Beef
Expo for many years. She has been the chair of the
Beef Queen Contest for the past 23 years, and has
managed the Angus sale at the Expo for the past 24
years. She is reporter for the WV Angus Association
and vice president of the WV Cattlewomen’s
Association. She helped organize the state Junior
Angus Association and has been its advisor for 20
years. In 1983, she was named the organization’s
national advisor of the year.
The WV Cattleman’s Association honored Mida
with its service award in 2008. She and her husband,
Don, are the first married couple to be enshrined in
the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of
Fame. Together, they operate a 520-acre registered
Angus farm in Lewis and Upshur counties.
“Women In Ag” is an honor granted to those
women who have made significant contributions
to the establishment, development, advancement
or improvement of West Virginia agriculture,
forestry or specialty crops in the Mountain State.
Congratulations, Mida! Well deserved!
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West Virginia Farm Bureau News 15