CDFA proudly celebrated Women’s History Month with a dynamic panel discussion on Wednesday, March 26, moderated by Undersecretary Christine Birdsong. As part of the month-long celebration, CDFA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, along with the CDFA Office of Civil Rights, organized the discussion.
The theme this year is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations.”
The panel featured CDFA employees Thea Rittenhouse and Cynthia Keisler, State Board of Food and Ag member Jenet DeCosta, and Dixon May Fair CEO Pat Conklin. They all shared their experiences, challenges, and inspirations as women in agricultural leadership.
Undersecretary Birdsong set the stage by reflecting on the history of Women’s History Month and the significance of its colors—purple for loyalty, white for equality, and green for hope. She emphasized that while progress has been made, visibility and representation remain critical.
“Fast forward, we’ve had many firsts in California agriculture, like Secretary Ann Veneman and Secretary Karen Ross leading CDFA. It’s important to have visibility and educate each other,” said Undersecretary Birdsong.
Each panelist brought unique insights into the evolving role of women in agriculture.
Jenet DeCosta, a California State Board of Food and Agriculture member and Driscoll’s Senior Director of Public Affairs, highlighted the importance of recognizing women’s contributions. “For me, Women’s History Month is about representation. Many times, I saw older women in the strawberry fields doing the same work as men, managing land and irrigation, yet their names weren’t out there. More and more women are stepping into leadership roles, but it’s important that we continue to give them a voice.”
Pat Conklin, CEO of the Dixon May Fair, shared her journey growing up in agriculture and breaking barriers. “There were only five female fair managers across California when I started. We have a duty to break down barriers ourselves. If you go to a livestock show today, you’ll see girls of all backgrounds showing livestock, proving that agriculture belongs to everyone. These little girls are showing other girls how to show livestock.”
She started in Future Farmers of America (FFA) and learned about livestock and by age 13, started to learn about agriculture. Conklin shared an anecdote about her experience growing up—wanting to learn to drive the tractor, while her stepfather reluctantly let her operate the tractor. “My stepfather was old time ag, but I wanted to drive the tractor,” she recalled, showing strength of persistency and determination. “I learned to drive the tractor and once my stepfather saw I could drive it well, I was driving it all the time!”
Thea Rittenhouse, Farm Equity Advisor and Tribal Liaison, underscored the many roles women play in farming that often go unrecognized. “Women are caretakers and stewards of the land. So many manage farm finances, production, and labor, yet these roles aren’t always glorified like the person on the tractor. This month, I reflect on how multi-faceted agriculture truly is—it’s not just farming; it’s business, science, and community building.”
Cynthia Keisler, Assistant Branch Chief of Human Resources at CDFA, emphasized the power of women supporting women. “What’s important to me is women helping women. Women in farming are growing—about a third of farmworkers are women. The more we uplift each other, the stronger we become.”
Looking ahead – the panelists also discussed mentorship and the importance of fostering the next generation of women in leadership. “I started to consider myself a failure if I wasn’t bringing others along. There’s human potential in all of us, and it’s our job to create opportunities for others to grow,” stressed DeCosta.
As the discussion wrapped up, Undersecretary Birdsong expressed her hope for the future. “I see younger generations pushing for change with a fresh perspective on gender and leadership. The more we push forward, the closer we get to a time when we won’t have to talk about being ‘the first’—because equality will simply be the norm.”