By Madeline Schultz and Lisa Scarbrough
The Women in Ag Program at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering four educational courses across the state this winter.
These courses are
- Annie’s Project: Farm Business Management
- Women Marketing Grain
- Managing for Today and Tomorrow: Farm Transition Planning
- Women Managing Specialty Crops
Annie’s Project is a national program that empowers women in agriculture to be successful through education, networks and resources. The ISU Extension and Outreach farm management team has also developed many new “Annie’s Inspired” courses based on requests from past participants. New this year, is the Women Managing Specialty Crops course.
More than 3,700 women have participated in Annie’s Project and Annie’s Inspired courses since 2024. The local courses are taught in comfortable small group settings where women can learn from each other and local agricultural professionals.
“After going through Annie’s Project, I’ve learned there is so much more out there that we can be doing to help our farm business and get it ready for the next generation,” shared a 2024 program participant.
The courses focus on key decision-making tasks. Participants access research-based information and take important actions to improve farm profitability, enhance conservation and build community.
“I took Annie’s Project for the third time because with the constant changes in agriculture and tight margins, I need all the helpful resources available to me,” shared a 2022 program participant.
The following Women in Ag courses begin in February and March:
- Annie’s Project: Farm Business Management is designed to help women develop management and decision-making skills. Participants learn about the five areas of agriculture risk management: financial, human resources, legal, marketing and production. Registration is open for classes in Indianola beginning Feb. 4, Fort Dodge beginning Feb. 6, Altoona beginning Feb. 6, and Humeston beginning March 27. Cost is $100.
- Women Marketing Grain was developed to offer more information on marketing. Women learn basic grain marketing concepts and how price risk can be managed using tools like forward contracts, futures contracts and crop insurance. Registration is open for a class in Oakland beginning March 3. Cost is $100.
- Managing for Today and Tomorrow: Farm Transition Planning was created to guide women in creating successful transition plans. The course offers women helpful tools to use in succession, business, estate and retirement planning. Registration is open for the class in Oskaloosa beginning March 20. Cost is $100.
- Women Managing Specialty Crops was designed for women who want to know more about key agronomic and financial decisions for crop production. The sessions take a seasonal approach and cover soil and tillage management, seed selection and planting considerations, pesticide management, and machinery, harvesting and storage considerations. Registration is open for the class in Ames beginning March 18. Cost is $100.
Cost for the courses includes meals and course materials. Through the support of Farm Credit Services of America, registration scholarships are available by writing to Madeline Schultz at schultz@iastate.edu.
Registration links and more information about courses can be found on the ISU Extension and Outreach Women in Ag website.
Source : iastate.edu