Shelly Boshart Davis and Macey Wessels, owners and operators of a custom farming and trucking business in Oregon, were recognized as the Executive Women in Agriculture Trailblazer Award winners at Top Producer’s 2020 Executive Women in Agriculture conference in Chicago.
Sponsored by Corteva, the Executive Women in Agriculture Trailblazer Award is awarded to female producers who are a shining example for her peers. The winner is an advocate for agriculture and represents an innovative farming operation. Entrants were judged on agricultural advocacy, farm business innovation and industry or community leadership. Applications are received from producers across the country and judged by a panel of industry experts.
Agriculture is a way of life for the lifetime friends turned business partners. In 2018, Davis and Wessels purchased Boshart Trucking and a custom farming operation from Boshart’s parents, Stan and Lori Boshart.
Today, the pair work with 40 grass seed growers, custom baling 20,000 acres in more than 400 fields. The stored and pressed grass is primarily exported to Japan and Korea. the trucking side of their business, they run 30 semis that haul everything from grass straw to fertilizer to blueberries across the Pacific Northwest.
“Shelly and Macey capitalize on their personal strengths to divide business responsibilities for success,” says Sara Schafer, Editor of Top Producer magazine. “The friends are true role models for other women in agriculture.”
With deep roots in Oregon agriculture, the take an active role in inspiring and training future generations. Boshart handles international sales and dispatches crews during harvest. Wessels manages quality control and oversees a company truck stop.
These women are hands-on leaders with their 35 employees. Shelly handles international sales and dispatches crews during harvest, and Macey ensures quality control and oversees a company truck stop. In addition, the Boshart team trains and employs 20 to 30 local teenagers every year.
“They step forward, not for personal gain, but because they support a bright future for Oregon agriculture,” says Jenny Dressler with the Public Affairs Counsel, of the two.
Not only are Shelly and Macey role models for other women in agriculture, they are inspiring and training future generations. Shelly and her husband, Geoff, have three daughters and Macey has a daughter. They are proud to show their daughters they’ll be able to be whatever they want to be in life, with hard work.
Their company motto is: “We are a family business that values hard work, relationships and community involvement.”
Boshart and her husband, Geoff, have three daughters and Wessels has a daughter.
As part of the award and for demonstrating excellence in farming, Boshart and Wessels received trips to attend the Executive Women in Agriculture Conference, leadership, business or succession planning consulting sessions with Rena Striegel, Transition Point Business Advisors and a drone from the award sponsor, Corteva.
Read about the 2019 winner, April Hemmes of Hampton, Iowa
Learn more about Top Producer Summit at www.TPSummit.com. Sponsors include:
Platinum: Syngenta, Case IH, Bayer, Channel, Rabo AgriFinance and Fendt
Gold: Valent and Becks Hybrids
Silver: Corteva, BASF, AgXplore, Pioneer, Pivot Bio and Top Third Ag Marketing
Bronze: Farmers Mutual Hail, KCOE ISOM, Claas, Clifton Larson Allen, Conservis, Granular, Lincoln Financial and Ag Spectrum
