Honorary Member

Tanya Hodges

Seed Trade Association of Arizona honors longtime member Tanya Hodges

By Joyce Lobeck

Tanya Hodges has been named by the Seed Trade Association as the Honorary Member for 2025 in recognition of her many contributions to agriculture and the organization over the years. “It was time to honor her for her extensive involvement in and support of STAA, ” said Christian Drye, STAA president. Hodges served as an ex-officio member of the STAA board for several years as the University of Arizona liaison. Drye also noted that Hodges has been a staunch supporter of students in her former position with the UA and her presence on the STAA board. She worked closely with the STAA scholarship program that has benefited dozens of agriculture students over the years.

A Yuma native, Hodges’ family roots in Yuma County extend six generations. Growing up in a family deeply connected to farming, she developed a passion for the industry and its related business, science and technology fields. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education from UA, then went on to earn her doctor of education degree in Innovation and Leadership from Arizona State University.

A year ago, she was selected as the new executive director of the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture. YCEDA is a public-private partnership dedicated to the research of soil, water, plant diseases and other issues impacting desert agriculture. Last fall, YCEDA hosted the inaugural agtech field day and conference titled “The Desert Difference” to showcase the amazing work being done by agriculture-related companies and researchers to develop new technology to aid growers in feeding the nation and the world.