In this episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Barbara Meza, Director of Human Resources at Taylor Farms and Taylor Harvesting, to talk about her inspiring journey in agriculture and leadership. Barbara opens up about starting her career at Ocean Mist Farms to help support her family and how that role unexpectedly turned into a lifelong passion—especially after becoming a single mother. She candidly discusses overcoming self-doubt, navigating a male-dominated industry, and the power of programs like the Women Ag Academy in building her confidence and sense of community. Through stories of mentorship, personal growth, and resilience, Barbara shares the pivotal moments that shaped her—like being entrusted with building an HR department and learning to reframe even the most tedious work tasks with deeper purpose. She also opened up about being raised by a strong single mother, facing painful judgment from family, and using that adversity to push herself further. Her mother—who also worked in ag—instilled in her a deep sense of professionalism, integrity, and compassion. It was powerful to hear how those early lessons continue to shape her leadership today. This conversation is a powerful reminder that growth comes from discomfort, confidence is often seen before it’s felt, and when women support women, amazing things happen.
In this episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Barbara Meza, Director of Human Resources at Taylor Farms and Taylor Harvesting, to talk about her inspiring journey in agriculture and leadership.
Barbara opens up about starting her career at Ocean Mist Farms to help support her family and how that role unexpectedly turned into a lifelong passion—especially after becoming a single mother. She candidly discusses overcoming self-doubt, navigating a male-dominated industry, and the power of programs like the Women Ag Academy in building her confidence and sense of community.
Through stories of mentorship, personal growth, and resilience, Barbara shares the pivotal moments that shaped her—like being entrusted with building an HR department and learning to reframe even the most tedious work tasks with deeper purpose.
She also opened up about being raised by a strong single mother, facing painful judgment from family, and using that adversity to push herself further. Her mother—who also worked in ag—instilled in her a deep sense of professionalism, integrity, and compassion. It was powerful to hear how those early lessons continue to shape her leadership today.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that growth comes from discomfort, confidence is often seen before it’s felt, and when women support women, amazing things happen.
Barbara Meza: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-meza-phr-87064250/
Kirti Mutatkar, President and CEO of UnitedAg.
Reach me at kmutatkar@unitedag.org, www.linkedin.com/in/kirtimutatkar
UnitedAg website - www.unitedag.org
UnitedAg Health and Wellness Centers - https://www.unitedag.org/health-benefits/united-agricultural-benefit-trust/health-centers/
Episode Contributors - Barbara Meza, Kirti Mutatkar, Dave Visaya, Rhianna Macias
The episode is also sponsored by Brent Eastman Insurance Services Inc. - https://brenteastman.com
Blue Shield of California - https://www.blueshieldca.com
Elite Medical - https://www.elitecorpmed.com
Gallagher - https://www.ajg.com/
SAIN Medical https://sainmedical.com/
MDI Network - https://www.mdinetworx.com/about-us
Kirti: [00:00:04] So I'm Kirti Mutatkar. I'm the CEO at United Ag and I am super, super excited today to have you, Barbara, on the show This is Ag because I think I met you last year was our first time you and I met. Yes. And when we met, there was an instant connection with you. And you came into the Women Ag Academy last year, got to know you. You joined United Ag as a group. And it's been really, really fun getting to know you in the last couple of months or almost now, 18 months, I would say. So excited to have you on the show.
Barbara: [00:00:37] Thank you. Thank you.
Kirti: [00:00:39] So can you, like, tell us a little bit what's. What's your title? What do you do?
Barbara: [00:00:43] My official title is Director of Human resources for one of the Taylor Farm entities. Or actually two Taylor Harvesting, Taylor farming. So we're the harvesting and farming entities for Taylor Farms.
Kirti: [00:00:59] And have you always done that? Or this is where--
Barbara: [00:01:02] I've done it for 27 years now. Started out at Ocean Mist Farms many years ago and I worked with them for nine years. Got a lot of experience there and that opened a lot of doors for me. And now I'm here.
Kirti: [00:01:17] So why agriculture? What made you join Ocean Mist? Was that your first job?
Barbara: [00:01:22] That was my first real job. I would say yes. Well, I'm born and raised in the Salinas Valley, and I always from a young girl, I thought, you know, there's really only two things around here. And it was agriculture or working at corrections. And my mom said, you're not going to ever work there. Right. So didn't happen that way. You know, I got married, you know, right after high school, you know, had my first three kids. And finally my mom said, you know, go out and do something. I'm retiring, and I'll watch the kids for you. So and also having three kids, one after another and one income was difficult on my husband at the time, so it was just to subsidize our income. That was my intent.
Kirti: [00:02:12] So you started working because you wanted to subsidize your income. At that point, you were a mom, right? And you came in to the what you did from ocean mist and agriculture and what I see you today, and I see you at the women ag events or other events, you're really, really passionate about what you do. So what something switched in your brain because from being just a second income, something switched for you.
Barbara: [00:02:39] Right, right. Well, a big part of what switched was that my marriage wasn't going well, and I knew I was either going to sink or swim. And I decided to swim, and I did it for my kids. Apart from, you know, and a big drive was that I loved working with people. So it's my passion.
Kirti:: [00:03:02] Yeah.
Kirti: [00:03:02] Yeah, I see that. And so then you were a single mom and working and all that and being in this industry, right? Agriculture industry. We always for a woman leader or somebody working in that. Did you find that that was more hard? I mean, was that hard for you or how was that.
Barbara: [00:03:22] Being a leader.
Kirti: [00:03:24] Being a female in agriculture and being a leader?
Barbara: [00:03:27] Yes. But I think mostly because I got in my own way. I think that the people that I worked with always believed in me. It was a matter of just breaking down my own walls.
Kirti: [00:03:38] What does that mean?
Barbara: [00:03:40] Just for many years I thought I wasn't good enough and yeah, I just had to finally stop getting in my own way and, you know, push forward to the next step.
Kirti: [00:03:51] So if the Barbara of today was looking at a 21 year old Barbara of the past, what would you tell her? Because based on what you just I heard you say --
Barbara: [00:04:01] You got this. You could do it. You have what it takes. You're smart enough, you know. So, yeah, that's what I would tell myself.
Kirti: [00:04:09] So what was the I mean, where did that come from?
Barbara: [00:04:16] Just in agriculture, you meet a lot of people along the way. And I've been fortunate enough to meet very strong women, very similar roads. And we kind of just help each other, you know, we encourage each other to keep going. And like you were saying that it's a male dominant industry. So some of the things that we do are a little tough, you know, but for the most part they're very supportive as well. So again, it's just you have to try not to get in your own way.
Kirti: [00:04:48] Right. That's true.
Barbara: [00:04:49] Don't let that voice talk you out of what you can do.
Kirti: [00:04:52] Right. That's so true. I remember a couple years ago, I was part of a women group, and we were talking about this internal racism concept where before even people can say things about you right before even you think somebody else is kind of looking at you in a certain way. You yourself do that, and you don't lean in and you don't do what needs to be done. And that's what was getting in your way, right?
Barbara: [00:05:17] Yeah. Yeah. I think one of the things that I had said to you, my reason for wanting to join women in ag leadership was to get over the insecurity of walking into those important meetings where there's room full of ranch managers with a lot of experience. And, you know, what can I bring to the table? You know, but this program helped me do that. It helped me to realize that there was other women that had felt that way. And it's okay. Just do it.
Kirti: [00:05:47] Yeah.
Kirti: [00:05:47] So it has changed, caused like a shift in your thinking a little bit.
Barbara: [00:05:51] It's given me a lot more confidence. Yeah. Because I'm not alone.
Kirti: [00:05:55] Well, tell me more about that. What was that experience like?
Barbara: [00:05:58] Well, I'll tell you the very first session I went to, I was a little hesitant and I think had one of the ladies there. Tina asked me to stay after for breakfast. I probably wouldn't have come back, honestly, but I felt that I wasn't again. I was getting in my own way and I felt that, oh, I'm never going to meet these girls standards. You know, they're probably all highly educated and, you know, they know their jobs. Well, I just talking to myself, talking myself down. And, you know, Tina and Lynette were telling me, no, you're good enough, and you're all your fears. They're okay. You know, it's part of growth. Just stay. And I did. And so I learned that we all have similar fears. But you just got to do it and you'll grow from it. And you know that's one thing I tell my team when we're taking the next step or even my my boys, anytime you feel a bit of nervousness or almost fear, it's growth, right?
Kirti: [00:07:01] Right.
Kirti: [00:07:02] So put yourself in those situations. And you know, Barbara, the funny part about this is you intimidate other people, right? So when you came in as a group at United Ag and your name came up, people see you the way you see others and you get intimidated by them. People see you and felt that. Right. So I was honestly really surprised when you shared that because, I mean, you're so confident and you present yourself so well. I felt that. So it's interesting that you feel that about yourself.
Barbara: [00:07:38] So I didn't know that about myself. I didn't know that other people see me that way again. I just a lot of times get in my own way.
Kirti: [00:07:46] Yeah, but it's getting better. Yeah.
Kirti: [00:07:49] So if somebody is listening to this podcast. Right. The whole intent of this is a couple things. One is we are giving a taste of what agriculture is to people who's listening to this and don't understand agriculture. And the other thing is they could be a young Barbara listening to this, and wants to get inspired and get out of her head and do what needs to be done. So what would you say to her?
Barbara: [00:08:14] I would say find your connections. Find someone who's willing to mentor you and push you, you know, push you to take that next tough step. And who lets you know that even if you fall a little bit, you're going to get back up and just keep moving.
Kirti:: [00:08:33] So one of the things that we did during our, I think, last year, the session, who is your leader? Right. Kind of trying to imagine who was that for you? I don't remember who that was.
Barbara: [00:08:43] I've had several since I've been in agriculture. You know, I've had like Art Barrientos, Joe Pezzini, you know, I worked with him over at Ocean Mist, and I'm fortunate enough to be able to work with him again. I can't say enough about him. He's just a great leader. He motivates his team and he listens to us.
Kirti: [00:09:01] So. Right. So do you see leaders like that more often in agriculture?
Barbara: [00:09:07] Yes, I would say so. I've been fortunate enough to work for companies that allow you to grow. You know, they're very big on autonomy. You know, this is your department. You know, you take it and they trust you to do the right thing.
Kirti: [00:09:21] So and you find. So when you come into so I found when I came into agriculture. Right. It's a very different culture when you look at like I'm in Orange County, so very different culture out there or you come from like different parts of California, do you find that what is it about ag that you love?
Barbara: [00:09:40] Again, just the people, the relationships you can build. And, you know, I'll tell you that. I think you might have been expecting me to say, well, it's a male dominant industry and, you know, they make it tough on us. But I think a lot of times it's the other females that make it, you know, a little tough for you. But again, I've been fortunate enough to find people and, and connections that have supported my growth.
Kirti: [00:10:05] That's cool. Any stories that you can remember, anything that you can share?
Barbara: [00:10:11] Well, I think my most memorable story is, you know, when I was working over at Ocean Mist, I had gone from again, you know, I was helping, you know, subsidize our income, our family income. So I started at the front desk as a receptionist over at Ocean Mist. And I was just hungry for knowledge, you know. And so anybody that would come through, I'd say, hey, is there anything I can help you with? And I think Art Barrientos, who was one of the general managers there, recognized that in me. And he was getting ready to move into a different role. And he wanted somebody that he felt he could trust. Be passionate because he was passionate about human resources. And I came in as a coordinator, a benefits coordinator, and he says, you know what? This is your baby. Take it. Here's this Rolodex full of contacts. Reach out to them, you know, and and learn the job. It was pretty scary, but I did exactly what he told me and when I needed help, I would reach out to him. And again, I can't express enough that I was fortunate to have great connections.
Kirti: [00:11:21] Nice, nice.
Kirti: [00:11:22] So I'll ask you something that we just did today in a Women Ag session. So how would you make your what you do 10% more fun? We just did this this morning.
Barbara: [00:11:32] Well, I think, you know, and I gave examples of some of our work is very tedious or repetitive. And you have to remind yourself, you know what the end goal is, what you're doing it for, who you're doing it for. And you know, what difference does that make for the company? And that's what helps me keep going.
Kirti: [00:11:52] Nice.
Kirti: [00:11:52] So you joined Women Ag? I think it was recommended to you by Joe Wright. Is that how you came into Women Ag?
Barbara: [00:11:59] That's correct.
Kirti: [00:12:00] So you've been part of Women Ag for almost a year and a half right now. And I know you've learned a lot. You've said that in the confidence and stuff that you've learned, but is there anything that stands out to you? Is there like a session or something that you kind of really engaged in and really related to?
Barbara: [00:12:20] Well, I'm going to say that the session that affected me the most was the final one, and I think it was you learn something new about yourself, whether it's a shortcoming or something that you're really good at in each session. And one of the things that, apart from all the others, was that I have a problem looking somebody directly in the eyes when we're talking, even like we're doing now. And it was a pretty powerful session because you had to sit there with your partner and just calmly look at each other's eyes and try to make each other feel comfortable just with your facial expressions or you know your body, your movements and just sit quietly. And that was tough. But it helped me because now when I have certain conversations, whether they're the difficult conversations or, you know, just how are you doing? I'm really engaged with that person. So it's still in progress, you know?
Kirti: [00:13:23] Unnerving.
Barbara: [00:13:24] Yeah.
Barbara: [00:13:24] But I'm getting better at it.
Kirti: [00:13:26] Mm.
Kirti: [00:13:27] That's interesting because you. I think when you're looking at each other and really paying attention to each other, how many times do we do that? Do we do that in real life? Right. Right. Because we always moving on. We are half listening. And this really makes you pause and look at each other. There's something else you said this morning. It was around something that you have to do for work, and your perspective changed on it. So can you talk a little bit about that?
Barbara: [00:13:52] Yes. So we did an exercise earlier today where you had to make a list of things, or a list of items that you do all day at work. Okay. And so you just start writing them. And then he told us number them from one through five and you know, five being what you really like enjoy doing and one what you least enjoy or what is least favorable to you. So I had pointed out that again, my my job is tedious at times, and one of them is providing verifications of employment to different funding agencies, you know, Fannie Mae or, you know, Chase Bank. And it's tedious and it's time consuming because, you know, you have to check in one system and then they want specifics on the earnings. So that was what I had said. And the question that was given to me by my partner is what's awesome about that? And I'm like, well, I'm just telling you I don't like it. But, you know, you have to dig deep. You have to connect with what you're, you know, learning. And so I had to think, well, what's awesome about that? And I what I said was that, well, it's awesome to know that this employee is applying for a home loan. And don't get me wrong, that's not what I was thinking. While I'm at work, I'm just doing it, you know? I'm trying to get it out. But when I sat in the moment to think, you know, and had that question asked to me, it gave me a different perspective on, you know, why I'm doing it. It meant longevity because that employee is probably going to be staying with us because he's now buying a home. Right? So he's committed, right?
Kirti: [00:15:36] So it's giving us a different perspective on things, right. And I think that's what the whole Women Ag program is all about. Right. As we go through it, it's not our typical leadership thing. We don't learn all that, but we learn things about ourselves, right? And that's through that we grow and through that we become good leaders. So that's what is awesome about women like Barbara is also you're new to United Ag. I know you've had United Ag in the past before, but you're new to United Ag. What made you what's attractive to you about United Ag?
Barbara:: [00:16:11] Gosh, I like the connection that you make with all your customers.
Kirti: [00:16:15] Is your all your clients? Yeah.
Barbara: [00:16:17] Your members. Yeah. You're so very involved. You know, I don't know if I'm allowed to say the other company, but I mean, they're they're good, but they don't have that connection. And even from your customer service, what the feedback we get from our employees, you know, that they're very engaged. They're committed to finding out what the problem is with something that wasn't processed or, you know, even something as simple as, I didn't receive my ID card. It's taken care of immediately. And our employees see that the panel of providers in Mexico, you know, we have a big force year round force in Yuma. So that was important to us, said, I mean, our employees love it.
Barbara: [00:17:03] The customer service from just everywhere. Yeah, I think you're awesome.
Barbara:: [00:17:10] I'm just, you know, I think you're something to want to aspire to. You know, I mean, I was telling you that my team members and I were talking about you and just wondering how you do it. You know, you're so involved with so many different things, and you give 100% everywhere you're at. And that's what I want to be.
Kirti: [00:17:30] Oh, thank you Barbara. Thank you. So yeah, you said you see me in that role. So what is somebody like? So I'm the CEO of United Ag, right. So not a typical CEO, you would say. Right. So does that make it better to attract or connect with United Ag because of that?
Barbara: [00:17:52] Yes, I think so. You can feel your passion and you feel your passion within your team. And so that's very attractive.
Kirti: [00:18:02] Oh.
Kirti: [00:18:03] Okay. Yeah. Thank you. So Barbara, one of the things that you mentioned, right. So you said you see that passion in me and that was what connected you. Right. And I'm a people's person. You're a people's person. But where does that come from? For you. I mean, why that passion for people?
Barbara: [00:18:24] I think because I'm a giver and I want everyone to succeed.
Kirti: [00:18:30] And so is that how you grew up or where does that come from?
Barbara: [00:18:35] You know, I think it's not how I grew up. It's why I am like I am. My mom was a single mother of four kids and didn't have much help from, you know, any outside family. And, um, you know, we had uncles, you know, from my father's side. And, you know, they always told us we were going to be the worst we could ever be.
Kirti:: [00:19:00] So your mom and she raised you guys.
Barbara: [00:19:03] They would tell us because we were, um, you know, fatherless, you know, because their brother left us. My father. And so we were the worst kids, you know, because we we were the the only one of the family that were divorced. And, you know, my mom was a single mother. And so we were basically going to be losers. And I think that pushed me to prove them wrong. Just like, you know, I think I've mentioned to you before that I was married for 20 years with my first husband. And, you know, my uncles would always say, you're going to have four babies from, you know, three different baby daddies. And it just made me want to make my marriage work. You know, so I didn't use it as well. You know, this is what they feel of me. You know, I might as well just stay down. I wanted to come above that and, you know, show them that they were wrong.
Kirti: [00:19:56] That gives you the strength to do what you do. Yes.
Barbara: [00:19:59] And because my mom was such a good mother, you know, she was a single mother. She worked. She kept us in the same home all her life. And, you know, that's what I wanted to strive to be and prove them wrong. That just because my mom was a single mom didn't mean that. I wouldn't, you know, come up.
Kirti: [00:20:16] So your mom is your inspiration?
Kirti: [00:20:18] That's pretty cool.
Barbara: [00:20:19] Yeah. And she's the one who told me how I should behave. You know, I mean, again, you know, she would tell me there's going to be a lot of men out there in agriculture. You know, you need to watch yourself and always be professional. So. And my mom worked in agriculture, too. Herself. She worked in the Dole carrot shed for years. And she was a fore person, you know. And so she ran into a lot of the same struggles. So.
Kirti: [00:20:46] Yeah. Yeah.
Kirti: [00:20:47] That's cool to have a mom figure like that. So that's where your strength comes in and that you can see that. So she's super proud of you.
Barbara: [00:20:55] Yes. Yeah.
Barbara: [00:20:56] I think she's super proud of all her kids.
Kirti: [00:20:58] Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. That's awesome. That's pretty.
Kirti: [00:21:00] Cool. So, Barbara, this has been fun. I really enjoyed talking to you and getting to know you in the last couple a year or two that we've been together. I see the people. Why you like people? Because I saw you getting emotional. You have empathy. You really connect with people. And I'm excited that you're part of United. I'm excited that you're part of women Ag. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a long term connection that we'll have with each other. And I'm also thank you because you said earlier that you connected with me and admire me. So that's that's awesome to hear. So any last thoughts?
Barbara: [00:21:37] Just thank you. Thank you for putting this together for women in AG. I don't think if you wouldn't have done this for us, you know, we wouldn't have known that. We're all so very connected. We all have some of the same insecurities and doubts, and bringing us together like this helps us let some of those go and grow.
Barbara: [00:21:59] Thank you. So thank you. Thanks.