Rhonda Swanson

Rhonda Swanson is a leader with an observant eye and a caring heart. These qualities fuel her passion for agriculture education to the masses, which in turn elevates respect and support for the farmer. Continue reading about Thank A Farmer's founder.

She was born into a six-generation farm family but has spent most of her life in the city and traveling throughout the world. Rubbing shoulders with some of the best in entertainment and athletics opened her reality to "anything is possible."

By thirteen, Rhonda was professionally performing her comedy juggling act; by sixteen, she was named "Rodeo Photographer of the Year," by twenty-two she had completed her journalism studies at ISU and CSU and was singing our National Anthem and entertaining at venues such as Madison Square Garden.

Between these much-abbreviated milestones, she spent endless hours on her grandparents' farm. She and Grandpa shared their love for nature and farm life. One afternoon on the farm, she wrote "Lost," the first poem by an undergraduate published in Iowa State's Agriculturalist magazine.

Experiencing such diverse environments in both the United States and abroad has equipped Rhonda with a unique understanding and communication ability. She is fearless of challenges and, like most visionaries, prefers forging a new and improved path leading to the goal she envisions.

Rhonda created Thank A Farmer to gain respect for the farmer and believed that would be accomplished by educating children on the importance of farmers. Her approach is teaching the plate-to-pasture concept rather than pasture-to-plate as agriculture has been doing, putting a face to the farmer rather than on agriculture, and speaking in a language understandable to the consumer. All of this has been proven very successful, but there is much work ahead. Her ultimate goal is a national Thank a Farmer Day®, and on that day, every school in our nation will have a Thank A Farmer Day® presentation teaching the importance of farmers and agriculture.

Her knowledge in journalism, her heart in farming, and her experience in urban living and entertainment make creating educational programs and publications that are understandable, interesting, and fun to both rural and urban populations of all ages only common sense and second nature to Rhonda.

Rhonda Swanson, the creator of Thank A Farmer brand and all its divisions, is busy forging new and improved paths leading to the future and the goals she envisions benefiting those contributing greatly to a healthy population and economy – - farmers and agriculture! Stay tuned. Much more coming up!

Rhonda is an author of the acclaimed poem Lost, as well as articles such as Part Farmer, which appeared in the publication Farm and Ranch Living.