Recognition and the support of others can be incredibly powerful when we work toward greater LGBTQ+ inclusivity in agriculture. Today, we’ll hear from Tyler McGee, who grew up on a family farm and now works through innovation in agricultural technologies.
Tyler’s story highlights how vital recognition, respect, and acknowledgment from industry leaders and mentors can be. We learn from our leaders’ examples, and these efforts can greatly impact the visibility and inclusivity of LGBTQ+ people in our community.
How are you involved in the agriculture community?
I grew up on a family farm and knew I wanted to work in agriculture and technology to solve problems. I spent my college and grad school time researching what has now grown into AgTech with a good friend and then started my career with Syngenta as a research architect.
I founded a startup called Shepherd, where we built an intelligent task management communication platform to improve operational efficiency and worker quality of life. I have now focused on developing the tools and platforms that the ag supply chain uses to reach and better serve its customers, the farmers.
Why are you proud to be part of the agriculture community?
I’m proud to see the work that LGBTQ+ colleagues are making in our industry and the progress we’ve seen in how our industry has changed, even in the short time that I’ve been a part of it. There is still plenty left to be done, but the progress really gives me hope.
Walking through the grocery store and seeing brands and crops my teams and I have been involved always makes me smile. Even though I’m probably the only one in the store who knows the backstory of how that food got to the shelf, it is so cool seeing it happen and our industry working so well quietly in the background that most people have no idea it even exists because they don’t have to worry about it.
How have you felt or seen support for LGBTQ+ in the agriculture community?
Some of the largest partners in the industry have taken significant initiatives to highlight the work their LGBTQ+ employees do and to show their support. These initiatives have done a lot to bridge the gaps between our community and agriculture at large. Efforts like Pride In Agriculture are incredibly important and have really been one of the biggest forces for good.
For me, a lot of being recognized and supported has come in the form of some great college professors and mentors in my career who have been there to guide me forward, show me that there is a path forward, and help me find and follow it.
My best advice is to find a mentor who you see as someone who supports and advocates for you but also has the experience to help you know where you need to be going and how best to get there.
If you’re in a position to do so, I can’t recommend enough becoming a mentor for someone else. We need good people with experience to illuminate the path forward and support the next generation.
What advice do you have for other LGBTQ+ people in the agriculture community?
We need to look out for and support each other and highlight the good work being done. It’s so easy to shy away from the spotlight, but it’s so important for people throughout agriculture to know and recognize that there are people they work with and trust who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
It doesn’t even have to be something big. Many times, just recognizing the good work that someone has done can really give them the confidence they need to keep going and show the people around them that they are capable of things that might have otherwise been overlooked.
What can people in the agriculture community do to be strong allies of LGBTQ+ people?
The number one thing in my mind is acceptance and recognition from company and industry leaders. When it exists in an organization, I see progress and really great things come out of it, and when it’s missing, I find the cultural stereotypes that bring all of our industry down in the minds of people outside of it.
If your company or organization doesn’t have programs to support LGBTQ+ people—and many still don’t—ask the people in leadership if they would be open to adding one. Seek out other groups that are really doing well with this and use them as an example. Don’t be afraid to step up and volunteer to start something.
I once had a college professor ask why a friend and I started working on research together just out of our own curiosity. I told her, “Because nobody told us we couldn’t.” I’m always amazed by how far that mindset has taken me in my own journey.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with the Pride in Agriculture readers?
The amount of change I’ve seen, even in the last eight years or so, is incredible and really does give me hope for what’s coming. Agriculture has a stereotype of being very slow to change and very averse to progress in many ways, but it is happening, and it’s really great to see.
Ultimately, it still comes down to how much we’re willing to advocate for ourselves and each other. If you see something that can be made better, speak up and be willing to help make that change. And if you see someone who needs support or is being mistreated, don’t be afraid to stand up for what is right. All progress starts with us individually.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mahatma Ghandi
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