Empowering the Palate: Celebrating Women Pioneers in Food and Agriculture

In the realm of food and agriculture, the indomitable spirit of women pioneers has reshaped industries and inspired generations. As we commemorate International Women’s Day and Women's History Month, we pay tribute to two extraordinary women who have revolutionized their fields: Valerie Samutin and Tanya Cauthen. Through their unwavering dedication and groundbreaking initiatives, they embody the essence of empowerment, resilience, and innovation. Join us as we delve into their remarkable journeys and the pivotal roles they play in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.

Valerie Samutin - Executive Director Founder of Freedom Run Farm

Inspiration:

What inspired you to venture into the food and agriculture industry, and how did Freedom Run Farm come to fruition?

Sharing a meal and the fruits of my labor at the end of the day with friends and family is what life is all about. Of course, a great-tasting meal calls for the best ingredients you can find. I love lamb and grew up ordering it every time I went to a restaurant. It was delicious and impossible to find at a grocery store. I decided to become a shepherdess and build on our farm’s greatest strength, its pastures. Along the way, I had some wonderful old-time mentors, and I started questioning why imports and commodities dominated the market. Production models were all over the place and it was hard to find lamb that tasted great consistently. I distinctly remember when I thought of the idea of the consortium while setting up the next rotational grazing cell for my flock. I saw an opportunity; there was strength in numbers. I wanted to create a path to market for my fellow shepherds; to develop a brand that stood for our diverse consortium and to present an alternative in a market dominated by imports and heavily rooted in commodity farming.

Impact on the Industry:

Reflecting on your journey, what do you believe has been the most significant impact of Freedom Run Farm on the food and agriculture industry?

Freedom Run Farm has always been committed to producing premium quality lamb, consistently, all year round. We are culinary-centric. We spent 18 months collaborating with an amazing group of farm-to-table chefs to develop our specifications. It’s a dynamic process where feedback continues to be vital; we are always learning, always striving to understand more and improve. We have focused on producing a great tasting lamb from the first to last bite. Lamb is not supposed to have a gamey taste, it should be a rich decadent red meat choice. Kind of like dark chocolate is to milk chocolate.

Support and Encouragement:

From your experience, what kind of support and encouragement do you believe are crucial for women looking to enter and excel in the food and agriculture field, and how can companies like Fossil Farms contribute to fostering that support?

It is extremely challenging for a small company to have a chance to break through and accomplish its goals. Fossil Farms has been an amazing industry partner from the very beginning. They saw our passion, authenticity, and commitment to quality. They also share our deep commitment to sustainability and have encouraged us every step of the way. As a woman working in the food and agricultural realms, it has been especially difficult to secure this kind of support. Financial resources are limited, and establishing credibility for a fledgling business takes time. Without a doubt, the support of a well-established, highly respected industry leader like Fossil Farms is integral to our continued success in building credibility in the marketplace. This can take the form of ongoing purchase orders for our product, features at special events, and visibility in their marketplace.

Future Plans:

As a trailblazer, what are your future aspirations for Freedom Run Farm, and how do you envision the company contributing to the industry's sustainable growth?

Tanya Cauthen - Owner & Butcher at Belmont Butchery

Butchery Journey:

- Can you share the story of your journey into butchery, and how you navigate and excel in a traditionally male-dominated profession?

I guess everything I have done tends to be 'swimming upstream' from engineering to cooking and now butchery. So, I never really thought about it until people asked the question! I'm sure when I was younger I was offended by not being taken seriously - but that tends to make me work harder! These days I find it amusing when a cold call beelines to the oldest male in my shop for a sales call. But it's also nice - I don't have time to talk to every clueless person who doesn't do at least a little research before trying to sell us something. When I talk to young women wanting to do this - or some other 'traditional' job - I use the adage - work smarter, not harder. And it is completely true! I'm not as strong as the guys, so I have to think through my plans more thoroughly. Skill and finesse are the name of the game - not brute force - but female or male - that makes for a better butcher.

Impact as a Butcher:

In your role at Belmont Butchery, what impact do you believe you've had on the local community and the perception of women in the butchery industry?

I like to believe that I have done more than feed people well over the last 17 years! I hope that I have offered some insight into the food industry and encouraged people to 'vote with their dollars' as to what type of food and agriculture they want to support. When we started in 2006, local wasn't a thing and people were just beginning to be aware of natural, organic, free-range, and all those words. We always featured amazing local farmers - but in 2006 that was 10% of sales. Now that's closer to 60% of sales! I now have a huge network of amazing farms to work with - that option didn't exist 17 years ago.

Supportive Measures:

- What support, training, or initiatives do you think would encourage more women to consider a career in butchery, and how can companies like Fossil Farms play a role in fostering this encouragement?

I think that any support, training, or initiatives that might encourage more women to consider a career in butchery are the same as what every employer is facing in a tough labor market - training and flexibility. It's challenging to hire anyone these days. I feel lucky that as a small business, I can nurture individual talents and as a team, we can be flexible to each other's personal needs - while being mindful of the shop's needs. BUT it requires a culture of inclusion and valuing each individual on the team as an equal player and partner. It's my job to teach required skills and nurture individual interests - when you foster an atmosphere of actual interest in your team - your team will support each other and by extension support the business. I'm proud that over the years former employees have gone on to open over 8 new meat-based businesses. AND during the holidays each year, several former employees or chef-friends will pick up shifts to get us through the busy season.

I think companies like Fossil Farms can best encourage women and young people across the board to consider careers in butchery through education. For employees to understand what 'regenerative agriculture' is they need to go to farms that embrace those practices, for example. To sell more exotic or specialty meats, employees need to see, touch, and eat these meats. They need to understand that to maintain genetic diversity there must be an economic benefit to the farmer to preserve and rear specialty breeds. Consumers and employees don't understand that to maintain genetic diversity - you have to breed the animals to make more... but there needs to be a positive cash flow or economic benefit to doing this. So, you raise and process the extras. That cycle allows for maintaining herds or even better improving diversity in endangered heritage breeds. We have lost so much genetic diversity in the hybridization of feed animals due to industrialization and the desire for cheap meat - but that's a whole other story! I raise heritage breed Hog Island Sheep and maintain a herd of Boer Goats on the side.

Future Plans in Butchery:

Looking ahead, what are your plans and goals in the field of butchery, and how do you see the industry evolving for women?

I'm currently working on a project with a friend to open a micro-processor in central Virginia. Anyone in this industry knows that small local processors are overloaded with work - booking a year or more out! This means if you don't have a relationship with a processor - new farmers can't get dates. Hence a huge barrier to entry for new farmers - essentially a farmer has to book dates before they have even bred their animals! To broaden my knowledge on USDA slaughter, we took a class at VA Tech and were delighted to discover that their Meat Center, at the time, had an all-female team! So, I think industry-wide perceptions of what male or female jobs are slowly being recognized as antiquated. And that the approach is shifting to the best person for the job. As it should be.

In celebrating the indelible impact of Valerie Samutin and Tanya Cauthen, we honor not only their achievements but also the collective strength and determination of women in the food and agriculture industry. Their stories serve as beacons of inspiration, guiding us toward a future where diversity, sustainability, and empowerment reign supreme. As we continue to champion their legacies during this special month, let us reaffirm our commitment to fostering an environment where every woman's voice is heard, valued, and celebrated. Together, with companies like Fossil Farms leading the charge, we can pave the way for a brighter and more equitable tomorrow.

Take the next step in celebrating their achievements by learning more about their work and following their social media channels.

?? Instagram:

@freedomrunfarm

@belmontbutcher

?? Facebook:

Freedom Run Farm

Belmont Butcher