Women in Agribusiness announced four 2026 Demeter Award recipients, including Krysta Harden of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, Dr. Magan Lewis of Bayer Crop Science, Emily Metz of the American Egg Board, and Terri Hawbaker, a dairy farm owner and the first Female Farmer of the Year awardee, recognizing their exceptional contributions to agriculture and agribusiness.
- The 2026 Demeter Award recognized four women leaders for outstanding achievements in agribusiness and agriculture.
- Krysta Harden led U.S. dairy exports to $9.6 billion in 2025 as the first woman to lead USDEC, with over four decades in agriculture.
- Terri Hawbaker built Grazeway Dairy Farms from scratch in 2002 into a diversified 337-acre operation while raising five children as a widow.
- Emily Metz became one of the youngest agricultural commodity CEOs at age 32 and led the egg industry's first national crisis response in 2025.
- The award drew more than 60 nominations and will be celebrated at the Women in Agribusiness Summit on September 22-24 in New Orleans.
Women in Agribusiness announced today the four recipients of its 2026 Demeter Award of Excellence, the organization’s top honor for women who have made outstanding contributions to agribusiness.
This year’s honorees are Krysta Harden, president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council; Dr. Magan Lewis, senior director of Innovation & Enterprise Operations at Bayer Crop Science; Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board; and Terri Hawbaker, owner of Grazeway Dairy Farms, who receives the award in the new Female Farmer of the Year category.
The award drew more than 60 nominations this year, with some individuals nominated as many as five times, according to Svitlana Synkovska, portfolio director for Women in Agribusiness.
“These women represent the very best of talent and accomplishment in agriculture, and we’re thrilled to celebrate their achievements alongside peers and hundreds of others from across the ag value chain,” Synkovska said.
The recipients will be recognized at the 2026 Women in Agribusiness Summit, scheduled for Sept. 22-24 in New Orleans.
Harden, the first woman to lead USDEC, directed global strategy that helped push U.S. dairy exports to roughly $9.6 billion in 2025. The daughter of southwest Georgia peanut farmers, she has spent more than four decades working in agriculture, sustainability and public policy. She previously served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, where she led a workforce of more than 100,000 and oversaw the 2014 Farm Bill.
Hawbaker built Grazeway Dairy Farms in Pewamo, Michigan, from the ground up in 2002, growing it into a diversified 337-acre operation with a 150-cow milking herd. For the past decade, she has raised and homeschooled her five children as a widow while expanding the business. Her innovative seasonal, pasture-based dairy model has cut costs and earned numerous quality awards and national media coverage.
Lewis brings more than 15 years of experience at Corteva Agriscience and Bayer Crop Science, where she has led large teams through organizational transformation. Beyond her enterprise role, she has championed science literacy and mentorship for more than two decades. As an AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador, she advocates nationally for women in STEM.
Metz became one of the youngest CEOs in U.S. agricultural commodities when she took the helm of AEB in 2020 at age 32. Her leadership was tested in 2025 as avian influenza and price volatility drew scrutiny to the egg industry. She led the industry’s first national crisis response, generating more than 2,500 earned media placements and contributing to a 20-point increase in positive sentiment.
The Demeter Award, named for the Greek goddess of the harvest, is now in its 14th year and has recognized more than 40 women for their professional achievements and their role in advancing opportunities for women across the food and agriculture value chain.
