Renee Fordyce lives on her family farm east of Bethany, Missouri (Harrison County) with her husband, Richard, who is a fourth-generation farmer. They raise soybeans, corn, wheat and have a cow/calf operation. The Fordyces have been married for over 34 years and have two young adult children, Ethan and Emma, both of whom graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with agriculture degrees. The Fordyces are adamant soil conservationists who believe in cover crops and no-till, with a focus on improving soil health, precision ag and land improvement with terracing, waterways, and other conservation practices.

Renee serves as Missouri Soybean Association’s president, having previously served as vice-president, secretary, and treasurer.  She has served on the local rural hospital board since 1997, as well as on the First United Methodist Church of Bethany Pastor/Parrish Committee, and the Harrison County Cattlemen’s Association as a board member and past secretary.

Fordyce followed her love of caring for others and fulfilled a promise she made years ago to her mother by going back to school to pursue a nursing degree. In December 2020, she graduated from nursing school as a Licensed Practical Nurse.  She says entering the healthcare field during a global pandemic was a learning experience. In 2021, she completed the AgriSafe Nurse Scholar Program, which is an online learning experience taught by expert health and safety educators to increase nurses’ competence in prevention, identification, and assessment of disease and conditions commonly experienced by people working in agriculture.

Renee enjoys visiting one on one with consumers about farming and hopes to correct any misconceptions that a misleading marketing campaign, for instance, may have formed in their minds. She is always impressed with women in agriculture who can speak to the consumer in a way that educates and endears them to farm life and hopes to join them in this advocacy endeavor.