In probably what is one of the most male-dominated industries in America, MaxYield Cooperative is speaking directly to women – and winning big time.

With more than 18 locations across Iowa, MaxYield has been serving the region’s farming communities for more than 90 years.  Farming is some of the hardest work around, but Chad Meyer, Director of Client Relations for MaxYield, knows that there’s more to farming than just “making a living.”

For the last five years, MaxYield has done yeoman’s work in reinventing itself as “not just an agricultural co-op that sells stuff, but offers solutions to our clients,” says Chad.  Even in an industry that is often at the whims of Mother Nature and the economy, a revenue jump from $63,000 in 2007 to nearly $2.5 million in 2008 (yes, those figures are correct) proves they are doing something right.

I had a chance to sit down with Chad and talk about MaxYield’s commitment to the female segment of its client base, employees, and female stock car drivers.  And in a rare situation, even had to agree with him on using the color pink in marketing to women.

MM: The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture recently stated that the number of women running farms has risen 30% since 2002.  Have you seen evidence of that in Iowa?

CM: Yes. In the last few years we have witnessed more women either returning to the farm or keeping the farm in situations where the husband has deceased. The role of the woman in many of these situations include; widow continues to operate the farm, daughter comes home to farm with her father, female marries into a farming operation or the female marries and returns to the farm, but her spouse is the one that finds a job in town.

MM: Do you see the trend of more women-owned/run farms increasing in the future?

CM: It’s hard to predict the future; however, agriculture has experienced a resurgence in the last few years. With continued high demand for food and a positive influence from bio-fuels, ag profitability has been improved over the last five years. This has helped farm operations expand, and provide more opportunities for women to either enter farming or for women to retain the farm.

The other trend that is increasing is that for women to enter the agriculture work force (accounting, precision ag, sales, management, human resources, and much more). At no time has there been more demand for quality employees male or female. The current opportunities for women in the ag industry, whether farming or in industry have never been greater.

MM: What percentage of farms would you estimate are at least INFLUENCED by women when it comes to planning and operations?

CM: The percentage of farms that are influenced by women is significant. It’s easily over half and probably approaches 75%. The role of the woman in almost any farm ranges from keeping the books and writing the checks all the way to managing the farm.

In some cases, even if it’s the woman who has an off-farm job, it provides needed benefits that greatly augment the family farm. These include health insurance and retirement benefits that are unavailable otherwise. Often, this helps provide the rural lifestyle that is important to both the husband and the wife.

MM: How do you think women influence farming planning and operations owned by their families?

CM: The farm wife, no matter her role in the farm, often provides the steady hand in guiding the farm. She also often provides a unique perspective in farm decisions. In many cases, the decisions that the woman provides, are researched and well thought out.

Many grain marketing experts will say that in some cases the woman will make sounder decisions when it is time to sell the crop. The experts feel that women are able to take more of the emotion out of the grain sales process because they do their research, identify good price levels to sell and then make the sale because they understand what that price will do for the farm’s bottom line.

MM: What is MaxYield’s biggest challenge in connecting with the female segment of the farming community?

CM: In the last five years I feel that more barriers to women in ag, whether they are farming or employed in the ag industry have come down. More people understand that women can successfully operate or manage the farm and more opportunities exist for women to enter leadership jobs in industry.

It used to be perceived that it was the woman’s job, either on the farm or in industry, to just ‘keep the books’. Today, that is most certainly not the case. There are countless examples of women managing and leading their farm operation or at their job in industry.

It’s certainly not a new thing to have women playing an important role in agriculture. The difference today is that women are taking hold of their personal and professional power by holding decision-making positions and having independent control of their financial situations.

MM: Is MaxYield doing anything specific to address its female membership?

CM: There are several examples. In our advertising messages, we spend more time talking about solutions we offer and what our solutions will do for the farming operation. We feel that both women AND men identify more with this than traditional ag advertising. (Full Disclosure: Michele writes the radio ad copy for MaxYield.)

We have three recent examples of how we seem to connect with our female clients. Each year we award five $1000 scholarships to students pursuing ag degrees. We also pay a portion of the fees to join 4-H. And each year we award one $1000 scholarship to a female pursuing a degree in business in memory of a former employee of MaxYield. All three of these seem to have resonated with our female clients.

Recent efforts to improve our website and our new magazine that is mailed to our clients seem to have made a favorable impression as well.

MM: Does MaxYield have any future plans for capturing ways to connect with more women in your communities?

CM: I think that the best way for us to connect with our clients, man or woman, is to continue to build on our efforts to create a culture of solutions. Each farm has its own personality and needs and it’s our job to find solutions for their farm to be more successful. The responses of women as it pertains to our branding and marketing efforts tell us that we have done a good job of connecting with them.

Another of our priorities is promoting a culture of ‘constant recruitment’ at MaxYield. When we post openings for jobs, be it traditional roles for women or roles that were once traditionally held by men, we are often inundated with resumes, many from women.

MM: How many female employees does MaxYield have?

CM: Presently, we have about 150 full-time employees total. Currently, 32 of those are women…equating to roughly 21% of our workforce.

MM: With the changes in marketing, have you seen a different attitude with your female employees?  Do they feel better about MaxYield?  Have you tapped into that resource for ideas?

CM: Our radio marketing most definitely resonates with our female employees. I will get unsolicited phone calls and emails from them telling me what they like or dislike in the message.

I think overall, most employees have a better feeling about the company they work for. Being a solutions based company really seems to click for many of our employees.

The editorial team for our new “My Solutions” magazine includes two women who bring tremendous perspective and terrific leadership to the project. There are many other projects where having a female perspective and in many cases leadership has been very beneficial.

MM: I think you’ve heard my lecture on “marketing to women doesn’t equal the color pink.” But you have used it well.

CM: (laughs) Recently, our company purchased all pink MaxYield hats to hand out to clients and employees. I completely underestimated the popularity of these pink hats. I knew there would be some appeal, but never guessed how popular they would be. The response has been ‘it’s about time you got some promotional products for women’. So, while it was something simple, the feedback is that we should have done something like this long ago.

MM: Thanks for sharing your plans and vision with us, Chad.  Before you go, just one more thing.  I know you’re a local celebrity in your parts.  I love your recent story about Chelsea Simpson’s big night.  Will you share it with us?

CM: (laughs) Sure.  I’m the host of auto race programming on Algona’s KLGA 92.7FM and provide additional racing coverage on www.DirtTrackRadio.com.  I interviewed Chelsea, who at the time was a junior in high school, and had just beat out more than 20 other racers (all men) to win one of the biggest races of the year. Her run to the finish had a packed grandstand on their feet and provided the loudest cheer of the year for a race winner.

Simpson proved the win was no fluke, as she reached victory lane again this year. Her achievements behind the wheel put her in the Algona Raceway record books as the first female to post wins in a division as high as the hobby stock’s. I’ll never forget that race – The excitement that night was incredible.