A Montana ag worker has filed a civil suit against Nutrien Ag Solutions, claiming that she was sexually assaulted while alone at one of the company’s facilities, and that she had previously expressed concerns to her employer about her safety at work.
Brianna Nelson filed the lawsuit in Missoula County District Court, claiming that she was sexually assaulted in October 2024 while alone at Nutrien’s Havre, Montana, facility. She said she was long concerned about her safety at work and asked her employer to have security cameras installed, which had not been done.
The suit names Nutrien Ag Solutions Inc., the Montana Seed Growers Association, Hilldale Colony Inc., and Leonard J. Waldner, a member of Hilldale Colony Inc., as defendants. The suit claims negligence, failure to provide a safe work environment, and assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress on the part of Waldner. None of these claims have been proven.
Though AGDAILY does not normally identify victims or plaintiffs in sexual assault cases, Nelson spoke publicly about the lawsuit in a recent interview with NBC Montana. She said she chose to attach her name to the case to encourage visibility for other women in agriculture. Nelson continues to work in the agriculture industry.
“There’s two people that work at my location: one male and one female. It wasn’t going to take long for people to figure out who I was,” Nelson told NBC Montana. “I decided I might as well step forward and say, ‘Yes, this is me.’ ”
Nelson said she wanted others to know that speaking out is an option.
“I want that visibility because I want other people to know that if they come forward, they can do it anonymously, but if they want to put their name on it and own that story,” she said. “Just coming forward and saying ‘Yes, this is who I am. This did happen to me as a person and that’s my name.’ ”
Allegations detailed in court filings
According to the complaint, Nelson started working as an operations supervisor at Nutrien’s branch in Havre in January 2023 and often was the only employee at the branch. Court documents indicate that Nelson asked for security cameras early in her time at Nutrien, citing concerns over working alone and vandalism, but Nutrien declined, citing costs and vendor constraints.
In April 2024, Nelson filed a hazard notice after an encounter with a truck driver who allegedly watched her closely while she unloaded pallets alone and told her, “Take your time, please. I like to watch a woman work,” according to the complaint. Cameras were still not installed.
On Oct. 17, 2024, Nelson alleges she was sexually assaulted by Waldner, a member of Hilldale Colony who was delivering products to the facility. The complaint describes the alleged assault occurring inside Nelson’s office while she was working alone.
Nelson reported the incident to law enforcement on the same day, but she said she was too emotionally distraught to fully recount what happened and does not believe Waldner was interviewed. Nelson also sought counseling and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.
A workers’ compensation claim related to her mental health injuries was denied, the complaint states, because the injuries did not stem from a covered physical injury under Montana law.
Attorneys cite systemic safety concerns
Nelson’s attorneys say the case highlights broader safety challenges for women working alone in agriculture.
“This lawsuit is about the negligence of this company and the colony and the knowledge we believe they had about the potential risks and dangers some of these men in the colonies pose to women who might be alone working in agriculture like our client,” attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel told NBC Montana.
In a separate report, the Daily Montanan cited court documents alleging that the agriculture industry has long been aware of safety risks for women working alone but has failed to adequately address them.
“Despite a known risk of sexual violence and/or sexual harassment that Hutterite men like Waldner pose to women in the ag industry, the industry does not talk about it, warn women or take meaningful action to prevent it,” the lawsuit states. “The Hutterites’ business is important to the ag industry and defendants here put business over women’s safety.”
Despite the alleged assault, Nelson said she chose to remain in her job because of her commitment to agriculture and the growers she serves.
“I care about the industry. I care about seeing it move forward. It’s a passion,” she said. “I shouldn’t have to abandon what I’m doing and good at because something terrible happened to me.”
The lawsuit seeks damages for emotional distress, lost earnings, and other harms. She is demanding a jury trial.
