Teresa Brandenburg Talks Farm Advocacy and Sustainability
As a child, Teresa Brandenburg realized agriculture was the career for her while working on her grandparents’ farm in Iowa. Today, she’s working to leave a legacy of farming and advocacy for her children.
She and her husband, Luke, raise soybeans, wheat and sorghum, plus they have a cow-calf herd on their farm near Russell. Their family is passionate about farming, and Teresa hopes to teach her children about the rewards of a life in agriculture.
“Not everyone can farm, but everyone has to eat,” she said. “It’s really an honor to spend my days working to feed and fuel our nation and our world. It’s not a challenge we take lightly. We work very hard to care for our land and be sustainable in what we do, but also to raise a safe and abundant crop.”
Teresa wants her family to be able to farm their land for generations to come, so conservation and sustainability play a significant role in their operation. These practices are vital in western Kansas, where water is scarce. In addition to using reduced tillage, a practice minimizing soil disruption, Teresa also incorporates crop rotation — growing different crops in the same fields — to preserve the health of the soil.
“It works really well because our two primary crops are wheat and soybeans,” she said. “We plant wheat in the fall, so it covers the ground in the winter, we harvest it in the late spring or early summer, and then we can go right behind and plant beans. There are always roots in the ground to keep it safe from wind and water erosion.”
When she came to Kansas from Iowa, Teresa faced the initial challenges of learning the state’s geography, climate and farming practices. Meeting other farmers through her involvement with the Kansas Soybean Association (KSA) and the Young Leader program helped her acclimate.
“Being new to the state, I didn’t have a lot of connections, and the association gave me an opportunity to meet other farmers who were facing the same challenges that I faced,” Teresa said. “It allowed me to learn from some of the best farmers I’ve ever met and create a group of producer friends I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
Now, Teresa serves on the KSA Board of Directors as a chairwoman for her district. The experience has not only grown her network, but it has also helped her grow professionally.
“When I came into the association as a Young Leader, I was the youngest person on the board and the only woman,” she said. “I didn’t know if I would ever find my place, but I was able to learn from my fellow board members, learn from our staff, learn from our farmers and go on to serve in every leadership role.”
In addition to her passion for farming, Teresa is committed to forming a united voice with other farmers on policy issues affecting operations across the state. Teresa believes KSA membership is impactful because with more members and their interests to advocate for, the more effectively they can push for positive change.
“It’s important that the folks in Topeka and Washington, D.C., understand what farmers’ needs are,” Teresa said. “If we don’t advocate for ourselves, we won’t be able to do what we need to raise our crops and feed our families.”
This story was written by Reagan Neufeld, an intern with Kansas Soybeans.
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