O’Brien Named to Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame

Not enough people are aware of the extent of women’s contributions to society, whether past or present. To highlight women’s heritage and recognize their contributions, the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women (ICSW) established the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame in 1975. Each year the ICSW and the Governor welcome four women into the Hall of Fame, paying tribute to them and setting them forth as role models for others.

On August 26, 2000, Denise O’Brien and three other Iowa women, Betty Jean “BeJe” Clark, Margaret Boeye Swanson, and Adeline Morrison Swain, were inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place at the Iowa Historical Building. The induction is held annually as close to August 26th as possible. August 26, 1920 is the day that women were given the right to vote.

Denise O’Brien is a self-employed farmer from Atlantic who uses organic practices. She is cofounder and coordinator for Women, Food and Agriculture Network, an organization that seeks to link and amplify women’s voices on issues of food systems, sustainable communities and environmental integrity. Through her work as a past president of the National Family Farm Coalition, she lifted the concerns of farm families and rural communities on international, national, state, regional and local community levels. She spoke before the United Nations General Assembly as the representative of the world’s farmers in June, 1997.

An extensive lecturer, O’Brien has shared her expertise in rural development and farming with thousands throughout the United States and world. She serves on the Secretary of Agriculture’s Local Foods Task Force. She and her family have been regular hosts to international delegations. She was the 1997 recipient of the “Gloria Steinem Award” and the Iowa Farmer’s Union “Young Leadership Award” in 1990. Denise and her husband Larry Harris are members of Practical Farmers of Iowa. They have three children, Briana, Trevor, and Caia.