Haley Ammann-Ekstrom is a finalist for the 2025 Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year award. Photo courtesy of Mackenzie Myers.

ODIN– Local farmer, Haley Ammann-Ekstrom has been named a finalist for the 2025 Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year award. Ekstrom is one of five finalists out of dozens of applicants from around the state of Minnesota.

Farmfest is a national tradeshow that brings in thousands of people each year. It’s located in a more central part of the state, between Morgan and Redwood Falls. This year it’s taking place Aug. 5-7.

“It’s all agriculture. It’s like a large fair. There are booths and equipment set up. It’s meant for farmers and people interested in agriculture to come through and talk with different businesses and companies,” Ekstrom said.

She’s attended before through companies including CHS and Nu-Way and she’s also just gone on her own. Never before has Ekstrom been considered for Woman Farmer of the Year though.

“I was nominated and then reached out to and asked to continue the application,” Ekstrom said.

While she doesn’t know for sure who nominated her, she assumes it was someone she sits with on the Minnesota Ag in the Classroom Board.

“It’s interesting that they select five. Just think of all the women who aren’t nominated who are doing amazing things throughout the state,” Ekstrom said.

For the application, Ekstrom had to share some background on her farm as well as ways she’s involved in the community and what makes her stand out.

“I’m active because I enjoy being active and I enjoy sitting on boards. The boards I’m on keep me active in my own community which keeps me engaged with younger generations, which I enjoy the most,” Ekstrom said.

She is a sixth generation cattle farmer and the first female to run her family’s operation. She and her husband decided a few years ago to start selling their beef directly to the community.

“I think that’s another unique way to meet people in the county and in southern Minnesota. You’re helping feed families with a product you know you raised in a safe and humane way,” Ekstrom said.

Growing up, Ekstrom was a member of Galena 4-H.

“I always go back and reference my female mentors I had in 4-H. They were so good and so attentive to each individual and they really found people’s strengths. I always think about how I can do that,” Ekstrom said.

FFA was not offered at Fairmont High School until 2013, which was a year after Ekstrom graduated. She said it was unfortunate that she couldn’t be a part of that, but said she thinks it was why she and others had a bigger involvement in 4H.

In addition to farming full-time, she’s employed at NuWay- K&H Cooperative. She’s a member of Minnesota Farm Bureau and the current vice president of Martin County Farm Bureau. She’s also a member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Minnesota Beef Council. Additionally, Ekstrom has served as an advisor through a women in leadership program through Minnesota State University-Mankato.

This past spring, she was one of 15 women selected across the country to attend a Women’s Leadership Program Communications Bootcamp in Washington, D.C. that was through the American Farm Bureau.

With that experience, attendees were encouraged to see what they could learn and take back to their own communities to implement.

“I thought, what am I not doing right and what can I do better? My creative wheels were spinning on what I can do for women, especially in the farming community in Martin County,” Ekstrom said.

Despite being so involved in her community and the broader area, and passionate for agriculture, Ekstrom was still surprised to learn she had been nominated this past winter, let alone be named a finalist a few weeks ago.

“I was taken aback. I had been having a rough day and I got the call about noon and it was the perfect pick-me-up,” Ekstrom said. “When you get nominated and apply, you think ‘no big deal,’ but this humbles a person.”

She said that anytime someone is putting in work, especially volunteer work, a pat on the back isn’t always expected or given. However, she said the recognition makes up for the long, hard days.

“Sometimes I think, ‘is my work making an impact? Am I taking the right steps to help the next generation and make a difference in the community?'” Ekstrom said.

Receiving this nomination for her was a needed affirmation that she is having an impact on the community.

“The point isn’t to win. There’s women doing great things everywhere. It’s a way to show people that everyone is very unique and every farm is very different,” Ekstrom said.

On why she thinks it’s important to recognize female farmers, Ekstrom said, “thirty-four percent of females either had a management position or owned a farm. The other sixty-some percent are male dominant because it’s still a male-domain industry.”

Niki Jones, Marketing Director of American Farm Bureau Federation, with involvement in the Woman of the Year Award, agreed with Ekstrom’s assessment. While Farmfest has been going for 44 years, this is just the sixth year of Woman Farmer of the Year.

“Female farmers are often the under represented backbone of the farming operations. Their support and contributions help make farming operations successful. Recognizing their ingenuity and business acumen is important to build up all female farmers thus helping rural communities thrive,” Jones said.

Farmfest also recognizes farm families of the year from different counties annually.

“It’s very cool the awards they come up with to recognize people,” Ekstrom said. “What I like about the agriculture industry, especially farming, is that there’s no one way to do it. You can very much play with it. How much you’re wiling to put into something is what you’ll get out of it.”

In addition to Ekstrom, local farmer Wanda Pastiche of Welcome was selected as a finalist for Woman Farmer of the Year in 2021. This year, the other finalists come from Glencoe, New York Mills and Dilworth.

All of this year’s finalists will be recognized at the Women in Ag event and awards ceremony on the morning of Aug. 7 at Farmfest.