Elle Gadient with Chipotle the pig

By Emily Christensen

Elle Gadient ’18 is making a name for herself as a farmer advocate for Niman Ranch, a network of U.S. family farmers and ranchers dedicated to raising livestock humanely and sustainably.

When Chloe Sorvino, a food and agriculture reporter at Forbes, attended the most recent Niman Ranch farmer appreciation dinner in Des Moines, she mentioned that Elle belonged on the media company’s 30 Under 30 list for her work in the food and drink industry. The list features young leaders and entrepreneurs who are “redefining the way we eat, drink, and think about consumption,” according to Forbes.

Elle, who graduated from Wartburg with a degree in environmental science and studies and business administration, was flattered but brushed off the comment, only to find herself on the list in the Food & Drink category when it published. She’s still in shock, “especially after I read everyone else who is on the list.”

“It’s exciting because it shows that agriculture is a big part of the food industry, which can often be overlooked.”

Here are 13 interesting tidbits about Elle and sustainable farming:

Elle Gadient snuggles a black piglet

1. Elle grew up as a fifth-generation farmer outside Cascade, Iowa. Though she doesn’t like choosing, when pushed, Elle prefers cows to pigs — but just barely.

2. She is based out of Colorado but sometimes works remotely to help out on her family’s farm. She is building a transition plan to move back to Iowa.

3. She has witnessed the birth of many farm animals and loves being part of that process. “It’s incredible helping them and bringing life into the world.”

4. Elle’s family partnered with Niman Ranch when she was a child as a stable market to sell their naturally raised pigs.

A young Elle Gadient feeds a cow on her family farm.
A young Elle Gadient feeds a cow on her family farm.
Elle Gadient and her favorite cow, Sugar Plum

5. Her favorite cow growing up was named Sugar Plum, who she raised from a calf. “When I would come home, I would call ‘Sugar Plum’ and she would come running across the pasture.”

6. When Elle decided she wanted to work for Niman, they created an internship just for her in Denver, Colo.

7. Following her internship, Elle worked on a sustainable fishing boat in the Gulf of Carpentaria on the north side of Australia. When she returned, she headed back to Denver to work with Niman Ranch. Her full-time job is farmer advocate.

Elle Gadient with a Spanish Mackerel she line caught while working on a fishing boat in Australia in 2018.
Elle Gadient with a Spanish Mackerel she line caught while working on a fishing boat in Australia in 2018.

8. Her work at Niman has brought her closer to two Wartburg alums: Joel Gindo ’13, who owns Free Happy Farm in South Dakota, and Caleb Miller ’11, owner of Miller Premium Pork. Both are considered young farmers, which is another push for Niman. The average farmer in the U.S. is nearly 60; Niman Ranch’s average farmer is 43.

9. To Elle, the concept of sustainable farming is simple. Environmentally, it means being a good steward of the land. Economically, it means the farm operation can sustain the family working it and there are opportunities for the next generation of farmers. And when it comes to raising the animals, it should all be done naturally. “Animals should be on the land. Our pigs are born in the pasture and are antibiotic free. They have outdoor access, and they are never in crates.”

10. As a farmer advocate, Elle is responsible for amplifying the voices of the family farmer; building resources, like the mentorship and regenerative grant programs she started; and building community among the more than 700 family farmers and ranchers in the Niman network.

11. She wants others to support sustainable farming and recommends, when possible, buying from local farmers who raise their animals and care for their land in a sustainable way.

12. Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning chefs use Niman products to create award-winning meals, including for appreciation dinners that hundreds of farmers attend to be thanked by Niman and to receive scholarships and grants.

13. Elle decided she wanted to work for Niman at the hog farmer appreciation dinner where she received her first scholarship. She also received scholarships from the Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation her sophomore, junior, and senior years and was the inaugural recipient of Niman Ranch’s Phyllis Willis Pioneer Award in 2017 for her dedication to environmental sustainability.