Today’s Objectives Women In Agriculture Education Annie’s Project  Background  Curriculum  Outcomes and Impacts  Follow-up classes: Grain Marketing, Financial Management and Spreadsheets Benefits

Women In Agriculture Education *2007 Estimated Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture

Women In Agriculture Education Underserved Audience Unique Learning Needs Safe Learning Environment Mentoring, Nurturing WHY?

What is Annie’s Project?

Background Based on the life a of farm woman Grew up in a small town Goal - to marry a farmer Spent a lifetime learning how to be an involved business partner Together they did great things Challenges  three generations living under one roof  Low profitability  Changing farm enterprises  Raising a family

Background – cont. Annie’s Project - founded out of need Farm women have diverse backgrounds Being married to a farmer or being a woman in a male dominated business has its challenges Some women handle this responsibility very well In Annie’s Project, farm women find answers, strength, and friendship In Annie’s Project, farm women grow in confidence, business skills, and community prestige.

Background - cont. Began in 2003 Women and men impassioned for the role of farm women have expanded the program to seven states Describe Annie’s Project to farm women and watch their eyes light up. Instructors as well as students seem to find a piece of Annie in his or her lives. Annie’s Project is designed to fill an educational need for risk management

Background - cont.

Background – cont. February, 2003 – First Class held at Kaskaskia College, Centralia, IL February, 2004 –Washington County, IA April, 2004 –Mahaska County, IA November 2004 to March 2005-Classes Held (size)  Iowa 11 (189)Missouri 3 (53)  Illinois 20 (264)Indiana 1 (18)  Nebraska 2 (26)Wisconsin 1 (5) Total 38 (555) Scheduled Summer 2005 Classes  Iowa 5 Missouri 1Nebraska 1Indiana 1 Illinois 4Wisconsin 2Ohio2Kansas 2

Mission Statement To empower farm women to be better business partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information

Annie’s Project Objectives Annie’s project is designed to empower farm women to manage information systems used in critical decision making processes and to build local networks throughout the state. The target audience is farm women with a passion for business and involvement.

Curriculum Objective  Fill the desire to become a better person  Understand the common needs and conditions  Easily adapted to local audience  Provide a network of support  Discover a yearning for learning  Legitimize learner’s role  Build skills, confidence, purpose and control  Interesting and rewarding  A clear purpose of farm management tools and skills

Curriculum – Cont. Production Risk  Crop and Livestock Insurance  Enterprise Diversification  Natural Disasters  Grain Storage Loss

Curriculum – cont. Market Risk  General Marketing  Commodity Programs  Market Analysis and Pricing  Marketing Plans  Marketing Tools  Production Contracts  Value Added Ventures

Curriculum – cont. Financial Risk  Strategic Planning  FSA Documentation and Programs  Financing  Business Plans  Financial Management  Policy and Trade  Global Impacts

Curriculum – cont. Legal Risk  General Legal Risk  Environmental Liability  Contract Arrangements  Business Structure  Tax Liabilities and Law

Curriculum – cont. Human Resources Risk  Personnel Management  Health  Family Issues  Life, Health, and Long Term Care Insurance  Safety

Class Structure Six - 3 Hour Seminar Classes 10 – 25 Participants Classroom and Computer Lab  Community College, High School, Library Participant and Instructor Team-Taught Flexible Course Structure Networking and Mentor Development

Class Outline Session One  Human Resources and Time Management  Course Introduction  Risk Assessment Survey  Colors  What is Management?

Class Outline – cont. Session Two  Women and Money  Business Plans  Mission Statements and Goals  History and Tradition of Your Farm  How Property is Titled: Who Else is in business with you?  Cash and Crop Share Leases

Class Outline – cont. Session Three  Financial Documentation  Balance Sheet  Income Statement  Cash Flow  Retirement & Estate Planning  Using Spreadsheets

Class Outline – cont. Session Four  Risk Management  Developing Marketing Plans  Developing a Risk Management Strategy  Ten Habits of Profitable Farmers  Types of Insurance - Life Insurance, Crop Insurance, Health & Disability

Class Outline – cont. Session Five  Fast Tools  Financial Records and How to Interpret Information  Discussion on topics for the next meeting

Class Outline – cont. Session Six  Your topics  End of class evaluation Follow up evaluation Newsletters Web-site Continuing activities

Expected Outcomes Increased knowledge, skills and abilities  Risk management  Computers and the internet  Spreadsheets and databases  Financial software  Marketing and crop insurance  Human resource skills of communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills

End of Class Impacts Participants increased knowledge, skills and abilities Importance of goal setting Increased interpersonal skills Increased organizational and time management skills Increased skills working with professionals to meet individual and farm business skills

Documented Long Term Impacts Behavior changes in management techniques Increased confidence in decision making skills Implementation of whole farm risk management plans Become better farm managers and business partners

What they Say “Annie’s Project has opened my eyes to the complexity of farming, helping me to understand the importance of strategic and purposeful planning. The respect I have for all farmers as true businessmen has grown significantly.” Julie Birky, Parnell

What they Say I have completely enjoyed Annie’s Project. It made me realize that I am on task with some aspects of my record keeping and that I need to improve in others. These meetings have sparked a “drive” in me to challenge myself “to do better.” Jane Janecek, Washington

What they Say This project has opened up communication and information shared between my husband and myself. I work full time in town and I have learned so much from this project that will help me help my husband with our farm business. Luetta Greene, rawfordsville

What they Say This class has allowed me to meet other farm wives who have the same interests and goals that I do. We have formed a network of “farm wives” who can help to support each other. I have also been exposed to many new topics and feel like I have been able to carry on an intelligent conversation with my husband, and understand his worries and concerns. Mary Miller, Winfield

What they Say I’m very glad I came. Because I’ve only been into the farming situation for three to four years and am a city girl to start with, I had no idea of the depth of the farming process as a business. This class has really started me thinking about how little I truly know – it has also wetted the desire to learn more… Dianne Hayes, Lone Tree

What they say I was surprised by -  The number of farm women interested in this class and the wide age range  How much information we were taught I never knew that -  I am like a lot of other farm women who take pride in their family farm  There were other farm women truly trying to understand

What they say I enjoyed trying to –  Figuring out what my personality traits are  Help my spouse market our grain I changed my mind about -  There is a real need for a marketing plan  My role in farming, I learned more ways that I can be a very active part of the farm

What they say I wish I had known –  About so much of these topics – 25 years ago  How great this class was going to be – I would have convinced some other people to join I appreciated –  The binder and all the handouts  That classmates helped each other understand different topics

What they say I now understand –  Grain marketing and crop insurance  Farming records can be kept easier with the use of a computer, and now I can help make decisions more confidently I plan to –  Try and be a better partner  Get the books more organized

Demographics Iowa Classes – 189 Range  Average Age – to 76  Average Years Farming – 17 0 to 42  Average Children – to 6  Average Acres Owned – to 973  Average Acres Crop Share – to 576  Average Acres Cash Rented – to 651  Average Acres Custom Farmed–132 0 to 436

Demographics Marital Status MarriedSingleDivorcedWidowed Form of Business Sole OwnerPartnershipS-corp or CorpLLC or Other Gross Farm Sales Less than $50,000 $50,001 to $150,000 $150,001 to $300,000 Over $300, Iowa Participants

Program Funding Participant Fees 15% Partnership Contributions 50% Grant Funds 35%

Our Extension Partners

From Here USDA-RMA/Annie’s Project Advisory Council Seeking partnerships (public and private) to sustain and expand the program AMES On-line Resources Women Marketing Grain (coming winter ‘05) Financial Management Resources: 

Benefits Provides an opportunity to be involved in educational opportunities for farm women Is an essential piece in the overall educational opportunities for farm women Provides farm women with the skills, confidence and ability to assume leadership roles in agriculture Sustains the viability of agriculture

THANK YOU QUESTIONS Bob Wells Field Specialist Agriculture Economics Iowa State University Extension