By Megan Roberts, Extension Educator
Our October 2018
"Woman in Ag" feature is Michelle Page. Michelle has dual roles. She
is both the Executive Officer for Minnesota Farm Service Agency (FSA), and she
is a cattle farmer in northern Minnesota. Michelle balances a lot each week,
including a six hundred mile roundtrip commute! As I read Michelle’s responses,
I was impressed by her commitment to sharing her 40 years of career experiences
and knowledge with others in agriculture, particularly those in the early
stages of their careers. Michelle shares more about herself in her responses
below.
WAGN: Tell us about your career
and farm.
Michelle: I am currently the Executive Officer for the
Minnesota Farm Service Agency (FSA) in St. Paul. I have worked for FSA for 40 years in a
variety of positions. My FSA career
began in Crookston, MN as a Program Technician in the West Polk FSA Office,
serving in that capacity for 25 years. I
was hired as a manager trainee in 2002 and served as the County Executive
Director in the East Polk County FSA Office, McIntosh, MN for 7 ½ years before
accepting a position in the Minnesota State FSA Office in 2011. While in St. Paul, I have served as a Chief
Agricultural Specialist for disaster and production programs, served as Acting
State Executive Director during the transition of administrations, and most
recently as Executive Officer. My entire
career has focused on serving Minnesota farm producers.
Although I spend the workweek in St. Paul,
Northwest Minnesota is home. I was
raised on a small grain, sugar beet, and potato farm near Red Lake Falls,
MN. My husband and I own a registered
Black Angus operation a few miles from where I was raised. My current contribution to the cattle operation
is bookkeeping and moral support. The
weekly round trip commute of 600 miles does not allow much time for any
hands-on involvement on the farm.
WAGN: What is a professional success you are proud
of?
Michelle: As Chief Agricultural Specialist, I was
responsible for leading Minnesota FSA in the rollout of 2014 FSA Farm Bill
programs. That involved providing four
statewide training meetings for all of our Minnesota program staff in 12-months. For me, the success was not only
accomplishing this task but tapping into some of our less-tenured FSA field
staff to assist in the training. At this
stage in my career, I find it is satisfying to provide opportunities for less
experienced staff to experience new challenges and develop professionally. It is a win-win since providing these opportunities
motivates me as well!
WAGN: What is something you’d like to share with
other MN women in ag?
Michelle: Take the time to share your experiences with
others, particularly women in the early stages of their agricultural
careers. Sometimes it takes a nudge of
confidence from a co-worker, supervisor, or friend to realize your
potential. All too often, others see our
strengths when we fail to recognize them ourselves.
WAGN: What is something you learned at a WAGN?
Michelle: I attended a WAGN quarterly workshop in
Willmar where Ted Mathews spoke about farm families and dealing with
stress. It was interesting hearing about
experiences and concerns other attendees at the event had encountered. I never dreamed that two years later, I would
be sharing my personal ag-related stress story from the late 1980s as a member
of the Down on the Farm Workshop team, hosted by the Minnesota Department of
Ag.
Minnesota FSA is a collaborator with Extension on the Women
in Ag Network (WAGN). Thanks Michelle for sharing your story with WAGN for this
month’s “Woman in Ag” feature.
