Nationally awarded farm/ranch women’s program comes to Texas High Plains: September and October workshops to focus on risk management, planning AMARILLO – Getting a grip on today’s agriculture business and becoming an effective farm partner and decision-maker is the focus of Annie’s Project, a women’s workshop series, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist. The mission of Annie’s Project is to empower farm women to be better business partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information, said Dr. Jason Johnson, AgriLife Extension economist in Stephenville and state coordinator for Annie’s Project. “Often farm women do not feel comfortable in the coffee shop network that is so familiar to farm/ranch men,” Johnson said. “Annie’s Project provides a place where farm women can learn both from the perspectives of local agricultural professionals, as well as the experiences of other class members.” The series will be offered in six sessions, from 6-9 p.m. each Tuesday, Sept. 17 through Oct. 29, with the exception of Oct. 8, at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 6500 W. Amarillo Blvd. in Amarillo. Cost is $50 per person and class size is limited to 30, he said. Registration slots will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. The conference is sponsored by AgriLife Extension, with program support provided by Farm Credit Bank of Texas. A brochure and registration form is available by contacting Johnson at 254-968-4144 or DeDe Jones, AgriLife Extension risk management specialist in Amarillo, 806-677-5600. The registration form is available at bit.ly/12HTxJ4. According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, there was a 30 percent increase in the number of farms principally operated by women since 2002. Women now manage 14 percent of the nation’s 2.2 million farms. Gaining confidence to understand the complex agricultural business surrounded by other farm women is the foundation of Annie’s Project, Johnson said. “The program is based on the experiences of farm wives who spend their lifetime learning how to be an involved business partner with their farm husbands,” Johnson said. “The reality is that over 90 percent of farm women usually end up managing their personal and farm business finances at some point in their lives as a result of death, divorce or disability.” Participants will receive training in critical decision-making and information areas addressing: production risk management, marketing risk management, financial risk management, estate planning resources, legal risk management and human resources risk management. Additional information about the program and how other farm women nationally have benefited is available at: extension.iastate.edu/annie .
Posted on: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 20:04:41 +0000
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