Wendy Johnson receives Women Impacting Agriculture honor

To The Press

Four women including Charles City’s own Wendy Johnson were honored recently with the Women Impacting Agriculture Award during the 8th Annual Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Women in Ag Leadership Conference, held last Thursday and Friday in Ames.

The award was established to recognize women’s significant influence in Iowa agriculture and to “celebrate women who are driving positive change in Iowa by enhancing economic resiliency and stability, conserving natural resources, and serving as influential agricultural leaders, family members and community volunteers,” according to information from ISU Extension and Outreach.

“Each year, the award selection committee is impressed by the dedication to agriculture demonstrated by all applicants, and the decisions are always difficult,” said Madeline Schultz, Women in Ag program manager. “We are truly pleased to honor and celebrate the achievements of this year’s honorees.”

Wendy Johnson and her husband, John, run Joia Food Farm near Charles City, where they raise grass-fed sheep, pigs, chickens and cattle. She also oversees direct marketing and their annual apprenticeship program, while advocating for sustainable practices such as adaptive grazing.

Beyond Joia, Johnson manages conservation efforts on her family’s conventional farm, Center View Farms.

Johnson is committed to community, the award announcement said. She co-founded the Clark Street Community Garden and Edible Arboretum and is involved in national agricultural organizations, advocating for regenerative farming and climate resiliency.

“Her work exemplifies the fusion of agriculture, sustainability and community,” the award announcement said.

Johnson is also an active leader in agricultural policy at both the state and national levels. She serves as chair of the USDA Farm Service Agency State Technical Committee, federal policy co-lead for Climate Land Leaders and vice president of the Perennial Promise Growers Cooperative.

Joia Food Farm was recently awarded a Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Equipment Grant of more than $46,600 from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, to help establish a food hub node to create new market opportunities for North Iowa ag producers for local food system sales.

The other 2024 Women Impacting Agriculture honorees are Chris Cornelius, Julie Kenney and Janette Smith.

Chris Cornelius is a fourth-generation owner and manager of Cornelius Seed in Jackson County, where she works alongside her husband, two sons and daughter-in-law. Together, they manage a farm covering approximately 3,200 acres of grain and raise 300 head of cattle for market. In addition, they keep replacement heifers and sell bulls throughout the tri-state area.

Julie Kenney is a passionate advocate for agriculture, food security and rural development in Iowa. As the CEO of Agribusiness Associates of Iowa, she works to advance the interests of the state’s agribusiness community, supporting policies that ensure the growth and sustainability of Iowa’s agricultural economy. She has also served as Iowa’s Deputy Secretary of Agriculture from 2018 to 2023, where she led key initiatives focused on sustainability and innovation in farming, helping shape the future of Iowa agriculture.

Janette Smith has become a leader and advocate for women in agriculture. Starting her career as a customer service specialist at West Central Cooperative, she steadily advanced through the ranks, breaking down barriers and creating pathways for other women to thrive in leadership roles within the industry. Now at Landus, she plays a key role in helping farmers optimize their returns through effective grain marketing strategies, according to the award announcement.