MORGAN, Minn. – Le Sueur County Farm Bureau member Meg Stuedemann was named the 2026 Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year during a special recognition ceremony at Farmfest on August 6. The award recognizes Minnesota women who demonstrate exceptional commitment to agriculture and positively impact their communities.

"Much to my shock and amazement, I was named the 2026 Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year," Stuedemann said. "To be selected from a group of four other incredible women farmers from across the state doing marvelous things is an honor."

Raised in Milwaukee and Nashville, Stuedemann never expected to pursue a life in agriculture. That changed when she served two years in the Peace Corps in a rural farming community in northern Thailand. After helping establish a village pig bank and supporting a school duck-raising project, she earned a master’s degree in agronomy from the University of Minnesota and joined the Minnesota Department of Agriculture in 2002.

Stuedemann and her husband established Derrydale Farm on his family’s land in Le Sueur County. Together, they operate a 170-acre certified organic dairy farm with a 70-head herd. In 2016, the farm lost its organic milk buyer, requiring her husband to work out of state for six months while Stuedemann managed the operation largely on her own.

Drawing on the financial pressure, isolation and mental-health challenges she experienced, Stuedemann surveyed Minnesota farmers and helped develop programs focused on farmer well-being. Her work includes the Minnesota Farm and Rural Helpline, a confidential, 24-hour resource connecting farmers with mental-health, financial and legal assistance. She also manages funding for three agricultural mental-health specialists serving farmers across the state.

Stuedemann has served as president of the Organic Farming Research Foundation and currently serves on the Organic Farming Stewardship Council. A farmer, scientist and policy leader, she transformed one of her hardest seasons into lasting support for farmers throughout Minnesota.

The Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year Award is presented annually to recognize women making meaningful contributions to agriculture.