To register and for more information, farm women can click here for Iowa Annie's Project courses and click here for Wyoming Annie's Project courses.
Omaha, Nebraska – (January 24, 2013) – Creating a transition plan to make sure a farm or ranch continues as a productive agricultural business and understanding and managing farm finances for a secure future are just some of the challenges faced by farm and ranch women today. Through Annie’s Project, two different courses for farm and ranch women across Iowa and Wyoming have been scheduled for 2013. To date, twelve courses have been scheduled in Iowa and five in Wyoming.
“The goal of Annie’s Project is to empower women to take active leadership roles in their farming operations,” said Marsha Laux, Iowa Annie’s Project state coordinator and extension value added agriculture program coordinator with Iowa State University. “All agricultural endeavors require careful planning and the use of the proper tools and strategies to help manage risk and to help ensure business success.”
Annie’s Project standard courses introduce women to all five areas of agricultural risk: financial, human resources, legal, production and marketing. Farm and ranch women can learn how personality types influence family and employee communication. They can also learn basic marketing techniques to improve grain and livestock profitability, how the right insurance can protect the family and the farm or ranch, how to access USDA resources, estate planning and more. This course is taught over six weekly three-hour sessions.
The new Annie’s Project course, titled “Managing for Today and Tomorrow,” goes deeper into the topic of transition planning. Farm women can learn how to plan a successful farm transition. Besides brief presentations, there will be in-class activities and discussions based on participant questions, as well as follow-up activities for family members to complete at home. During five weekly, three-hour sessions, farm women will learn about succession, business, estate and retirement planning.
Annie’s Project courses are currently scheduled in Iowa and Wyoming from January through March. Those interested in the Iowa Annie’s Project courses can click here to register. Those interested in the Wyoming courses can click here for specific dates, times and registration information.
One of the “Managing for Today and Tomorrow,” programs is currently being offered in Jefferson, Iowa on Thursday evenings, February 21 to March 21, meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. on February 21 and 28, and March 7, 14 and 21 at the Greene County Extension Office, 104 West Washington Street, Jefferson, Iowa, 50129. The cost is $75 per person, which includes a 300-page workbook with fact sheets, hands-on activities and presentations. Refreshments will be served prior to class start time. Course size is limited, and registration is due by February 14.
Angie Loew, Farm Credit Services of America financial officer in Carroll, Iowa, was a member of the curriculum development team and will be a guest presenter for the Jefferson course. “Working with farm women for 25 years and being involved with Annie’s Project, I’ve seen the benefits of this curriculum first-hand,” said Loew “Women want to strengthen their role in agriculture and learn the skills necessary for successful farm transitions.”
Managing for Today and Tomorrow is supported by FCSAmerica and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # 2011-49400-30584. More information can be found on the Annie’s Project website at www.extension.iastate.edu/annie.
Annie’s Project, an agricultural risk management education program for women, has successfully reached more than 8,000 farmers and ranchers in 30 states. “This new program emphasizes the role women play in helping transition farms from one generation to the next,” said Madeline Schultz, ISU Extension and Outreach Value Added Agriculture Program specialist, and Annie’s Project National Co-Director. “Managing for Today and Tomorrow will empower women to take ownership of the future of their farms,” said Shultz.
For more information contact Madeline Schultz, on the Iowa State University campus at 515-294-0588 or Schultz@iastate.edu.
