NORFOLK, Neb. -- Celebrating its 16th year at North East Community College, the AgCeptional Women's Conference brought together around 400 women to honor their significant contributions to agriculture. The conference delved into their stories, uncovering the deep meaning and passion they hold and think of their accomplishments. 

Throughout the day, women attended a luncheon while networking, attended many workshops that involved state planning for agricultural operations, learning to running a feed lot, how to prepare meals for a farm family, new technology in agriculture, and new tax laws among many others.  

The conference also brought in key note speaker, Brooke Clay Taylor, the founder of “Rural Gone Urban and Rural Gone Urban Foundation” Women heard Taylor's raw truth behind her remarkable career in strategic communications  and entrepreneurship in the agricultural industry. Taylor also spoke on her personal struggle with Cancer and raising a family.   

With many in attendance to learn and highlight Agriculture, the conference also displayed many vendors and a chance to see who would win the AgCeptional Spotlight Award. An award given to a special lady who has improved agriculture in her area. 

The 2024 AgCeptional Spotlight Award Winner was Sarah Polacek. Polacek, who works with Nebraska Extension as the 4-H Youth Development Educator, expressed the honor she felt by saying, “It was a complete shock and surprise! It was very humbling to be recognized as the AgCeptional Spotlight individual, and a real honor.”

AgCeptional Women's Conference Administrative Assistant Karmen Hake said, “There is a lot to take away from today’s conference but we hope for the audience, they realize it wasn’t all about Agriculture. Whether people buy from the grocery store and have nothing to do with farming or if they are involved with it, we can all get together and have a day to learn something new.”