The road less travelled: Breeanna Kelln’s path to egg farming

This is part of a series of profiles highlighting participants in our women in the egg industry program, a unique mutual mentorship program that brings together women egg farmers from across Canada to build leadership skills and facilitate knowledge transfer.

Breeanna Kelln

Duval, Saskatchewan

When Breeanna Kelln was fresh out of high school, she climbed into the cab of a semi, shifted into gear and took to the highways of Saskatchewan. Within months, the 18-year-old was licensed to haul grain and fertilizer across the province.

It was a rare sight on the prairie roads at that time.

“I look back now and don’t know how I had the nerve to do it,” she says with a laugh. “My parents raised me to not shy away from tackling hard things, and I had never done anything like it to compare it to, so I said, ‘I’m just going to learn.’”

That willingness to take on challenges has defined her career ever since. Today, she and her husband operate Hill Poultry Farms Ltd. near Duval, Saskatchewan, where they raise hens in enriched colony housing and also farm grain and cattle. Her 14-year-old son is already involved too, having started picking eggs at just eight years old.

Though she grew up on a farm started by her great-grandparents in 1903, Breeanna didn’t initially set out to be an egg farmer. After her trucking stint, she pursued higher education, ultimately earning a PhD in agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan. Along the way, she spent a decade in industry roles, working as a consultant and an assistant professor before deciding to return full-time to the farm.

“I didn’t need a PhD for the jobs I had—I did it to challenge myself,” she says. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, especially as a mature student with a young child, but also one of the most rewarding.”

Her entry into egg farming came in 2019 through Saskatchewan Egg Producers’ New Entrant Program, an initiative that helps new farmers get started in the egg sector. Within a year of being selected in the lottery, Breeanna and her husband had financing secured, a barn built and their first flocks placed.

Six years later, she says the industry has been nothing but welcoming. “One thing I love about egg farming is the traceability. I can find my eggs in my local store and that makes me very proud,” she says. “And the industry itself is so open. People are willing to share knowledge. There’s no gatekeeping.”

As a woman in agriculture, Breeanna knows her path has been unconventional, but she doesn’t dwell on stereotypes. “I’ve always focused on what I can control, and I’ve had good experiences,” she says. “I think there are many opportunities in agriculture, and an important one is our ability to connect with consumers and share our story. Women are making the majority of decisions for household shopping and meal planning, and as farmers we have a unique voice.”

She’s now part of the women in the egg industry program, which connects female farmers across the country. “I’m excited to meet other women in the industry, build my network and learn how we can advocate more effectively, especially as women are instrumental in managing and owning farms and shaping the future of agriculture,” she says.

“Our goal is to build something sustainable for the next generation,” she says. “If our son decides to come back to the farm with his family one day, we want to have a solid future for him here.”

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