Kate Danner, Aledo, Illinois, raises corn and soybeans with her father John Longley, now living with her husband in the original home her great-grandparents built.
Danner spoke in Washington, D.C., at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum about her path to a full-time career as president of the farm operation her great-grandfather founded in 1901.
Danner currently serves as an Illinois Soybean Association Soy Ambassador, a role that has helped to give her a view of what it would be like to serve on a commodity board. Danner was recognized by the White House as a Champion of Change in Agriculture. She believes it’s important to be involved in leadership roles, because there are fewer and fewer farmers every day, with people becoming disconnected. She says, “Food is so secure that [people] don’t have to think about where it’s coming from.”
USDA Photo by Preston Keres. Original public domain image from Flickr
