Over five hundred supporters of Oklahoma’s 4-H and FFA Programs gathered at the 2023 Diamond Hats Gala at the National Cowboy Museum and Western Heritage Center to raise money that the ladies will use to support exhibitors next March at the 2024 Oklahoma Youth Expo. The outcome of the evening was a record fundraising effort- with $287,000 announced as being raised from the Gala.
In and around the fund raising efforts that are a part of the evening- Darla Reuter announced that the 2023 Ag Woman of the year is Holly Carroll who lives with her husband Chris in Cashion. Hailing from a beef and tobacco farm in Central Kentucky, Carroll was active in both 4-H and then FFA. She served as the Kentucky State FFA President and then was later honored by the organization she loved with the Honorary American FFA Degree in 2022.
She received a degree in Ag Education at Western Kentucky University and became a trailblazer in her home state- teaching at one of the pioneering middle school programs in the United States.
As fate would have it, Holly met her husband to be Chris at the National FFA Center in 2009- leading to a move to Oklahoma. Once arriving in the state- she landed a position with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau- taking different roles since joining the OKFB, including the Director of Membership. Vice President of Field Services and Young Farmers and Ranchers Coordinator.
Presently, she holds the position of Director of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. In this capacity, she not only supports farmers and ranchers but also bridges the gap between those who produce food and the end user, the consumer as she helps foster greater awareness of agricultural production.
Holly’s active involvement in Diamond Hats and her key role in the annual Oklahoma Women in Ag Conference demonstrate her commitment to empowering women in agriculture.
