CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio – Each year, Top Producer magazine recognizes a female producer who is a shining example for her peers, as well as an advocate for agriculture who represents an innovative farming operation. Entrants are 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.

Marcia Ruff, of Ruff Farms in Circleville, was named recipient of the 2023 Executive Women in Agriculture Trailblazer Award in a ceremony Feb. 24 during Top Producer Summit in Nashville.

“I grew up a farm girl and I absolutely love it,” she said. “Even though I’ve grown up I’m still a farm girl. When we first got married, we had a forage business, and I drove the baler almost exclusively. I had my rhyme and my rhythm and my ‘I’ll let you know if I need you’ kind of thing. I think the dynamic really changed once we started having kids because I needed to put my attention there. So, I became more of the escort vehicle – delivered meals to the field, supervised the 4-H projects, things you can do from home.”

Marcia runs Ruff Farms with her husband Mark and three children, Matt, Mitchell and Mae. The farm operation includes nearly 4,000 corn, soybean and wheat acres, beef cattle and various ag businesses. Marcia considers herself blessed to live and work in agriculture. From an early age, she knew she would farm. Over the years, she’s worked hard to help build the operation to what it is now.

“It wasn’t an explosion of acres,” Ruff said. “Nobody was actively farming when we got married 26 years ago, and we started from ground zero and built this up. We started out with 100 to 150 acres in the beginning.”

Mark works as the full-time operator, Matthew and Mitchell drive equipment and Mae is involved with the cattle. Siblings, parents and several full-time employees also play important roles.

“We raise corn, soybeans and wheat,” Ruff said. “The offshoot of this is we have an ear corn business and a container loading facility to market our beans.”

The Ruffs partnered with Farmers Business Network to build and operate the grain handling and container loading facility. For the second year, they’re under contract to deliver soybeans to CHS for a premium. Recent container loads of food-grade beans have gone to Malaysia.

Speaking of business innovation, the family also does lawn seeding, installs drain tile and has a 50-acre ear corn business that started as an FFA project for eldest son Matt during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“During the pandemic, when everything shut down, people must have been home watching squirrels,” Ruff said. “Sales of ear corn went through the roof. Instead of 15 boxes a day, Matt was selling 150 boxes a day.”

Matt’s effort is helping put him through college. Mitchell is marketing his third round of freezer beef directly to consumers and has considered starting a food truck. And Mae has plans to grow her pumpkin patch and garden into a farm stand.

Marcia plays an integral role in every aspect of the Ruff Farms operation.

“I drill beans, I drill wheat in the middle of the night. I’m the shuttle driver for everyone moving pieces. I deliver the meals to the field,” Ruff said.

 In addition to farming, Ruff has another passion: teaching. She’s been a 4-H adviser for 25 years and a teacher for 27 years. Both roles allow here to educate and advocate for agriculture and food production.

“Teaching and farming are probably why God put me on the earth,” she said. “That’s what I’m supposed to be here for. This is really the dream life I had envisioned. My heart is with the kids. Every job that I’ve ever had involves teaching. For example, when I’m teaching kindergarten kids letters, and we get to letter ‘H’ I say ‘H’ is for hen. That’s a girl chicken that lays eggs. I love it when the kids repeat that information back to me later.”

As a female producer, Ruff diligently works to address stereotypes and show that women can be farmers too. Her message to other females is not to trivialize their role in the operation.

“You don’t have to be the one who’s driving the combine,” she said. “There’s so many working roles on a farm. You hear women who say, ‘I’m just a farm wife.’ I’m like, take the ‘just’ out of that. There’s no such thing. Put your desire out there and do the things you want to do. You can always be an advocate and you can educate people, but just be an asset to the industry.”