05/28/2026
2026 is the International Year of the Woman Farmer, making it the perfect time to reflect on the women who shaped Indiana Farm Bureau's history and opened doors for future generations.
It took two years after Indiana Farm Bureau's founding in 1919 for women to be welcomed as active participants. In March 1922, INFB President John G. Brown called for women to join "on the same terms as men," recognizing their vital contributions to farming and rural communities. Leaders like Edna Sewell, from Otterbein, helped shape the women's program and became the first woman elected to the INFB board of directors in 1925.
From rural education to community health initiatives, women have been driving Farm Bureau forward for over a century. Today, we honor that legacy and celebrate the women continuing to lead Indiana agriculture into the future!