Farmfest Seeks Nominations for the 2026 Woman Farmer of the Year Award

Minnesota Farmfest, seeks nominations for the seventh-annual Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year Award. The nomination period ends May 22, 2026, and the award will be presented at Farmfest.

The Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year award, launched in 2020, honors hard-working female farmers across Minnesota who selflessly dedicate their time to growing crops and raising livestock. 

The 30 previous finalists for the award showcased a diverse agricultural background. They represented agriculture from small hobby farms to large operations, growing crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat and peonies or raising livestock like beef and dairy cattle, poultry or swine. The women chosen exemplified hard work, partnership, knowledge and leadership on their farms, in their families and in their communities. 

As in previous years, five nominees will be chosen among all candidates and honored live at the Women in Ag event that will be held on the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center stage during the 2026 event near Redwood Falls. The Women in Ag event features a keynote address and concludes with the presentation of a $1,000 cash prize to one finalist named as the Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year. 

Farmfest takes place Aug. 4-6, 2026, and the award is presented at the Women in Ag event on the morning of Thursday, Aug. 6.

“There are so many deserving women farmers across Minnesota committed to production agriculture,” said Niki Jones, marketing director, IDEAg. “We ask Minnesotans to nominate a hard-working female farmer in their lives so we can show our appreciation for their efforts.”

The award is sponsored by Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, Common Ground Minnesota, Farm Bureau Financial Services and AgCountry Farm Credit Services.

Those wishing to submit a nomination, either of themselves or for someone else, or attend the Women in Ag event, can click here for more information. Nominations close May 22, 2026.