Being a Woman in Agriculture
Mary grew up as the youngest of four children on a 60-cow dairy farm in Marathon County. Two of her siblings still farm and another still “holds a special place in her heart for dairy” according to Mary. That upbringing shaped her path.
“We decided farming was more in our blood than a nine-to-five,” Mary said. “I grew up with this; I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.”
At UW–River Falls, Mary remembers classrooms split evenly between men and women. Over time, she has watched more women step into farming. Today, 58% of U.S. farms include at least one female decision-maker.
As a farmer, that stat gives Mary a sense of pride. “That makes me proud,” Mary said. “Women aren’t afraid to step up and do things that weren’t expected years ago.”
Building a Legacy
The Sosnovskes – Mary, her husband Marty and their son Ben- are embracing the power of change while honoring the traditions that have kept the farm in the Sosnovske family for over a century. The third-generation family farm will break ground on a new robotic milking barn this summer. Currently milking nearly 70 Holsteins, the project meets today’s needs and prepares them for the future.
The barn will include two robots equipped to handle about 120 cows, and the layout keeps the family’s options open for future growth opportunities. It provides a modern answer to the farm pressures of labor and logistics while keeping the family farm viable for the next generation and doing right by the herd.
Like many farm families, they divide work based on strengths. Marty logs in addition to farming. Mary manages breeding and day-to-day animal care. Their son, Ben, now farms alongside them, handling much of the hands-on, fix-it work, making maple syrup and logs, as well.
Honoring Aly’s Farm Bureau Impact
Three years ago, Mary and Marty’s circle tightened when they tragically lost their daughter, Aly, in a car accident. In a life where chores don’t pause for grief, support matters even more. For Mary, she saw support through her Farm Bureau community.
Mary’s Farm Bureau connection started with her parents and grew when she returned to county involvement in 2012. She’s helped lead the June Dairy Month breakfast and has served on the county board for more than a decade. In addition to Farm Bureau, Mary has volunteered with Lincoln County 4-H for over 30 years.
Over time, she watched her kids, particularly Aly, tag along and find their own place in the organization. Aly became active in Farm Bureau and served as the District 8 representative on the WFBF Young Farmer and Agriculturist Committee.
“Aly wanted to work more with FFA chapters through Farm Bureau because it is a stepping stone,” Mary said. “When I got back being active on the county level, this is what we were working for: to encourage youth to be part of things and a part of the bigger picture.”
Today, the family carries Aly’s legacy forward through their farm, giving back to area youth and being involved in Farm Bureau. “Farm Bureau is a special organization,” Mary said. “There was already some family in Farm Bureau – blood family, that is – and eventually, the rest became family.”
The County Farm Bureaus in District 8 honor Aly’s legacy annually through the Aly Sosnovske Sporting Clay Tournament. All proceeds from the event will be used to continue Aly’s legacy in partnership with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation and the Young Farmers and Agriculturist Program.
In the quiet rhythm of each day, Mary carries her daughter’s spirit forward—not only in memory, but in action. She invests her time where it can lift others, just as Aly did. She builds a future that holds space for both progress and purpose.
Mary Sosnovske hauls straw.
Mary Sosnovske honors daughter, Aly.