Expanding and Compounding Your Efforts 2008 National Women in Agriculture Educators Conference April 1 & 2, 2008 Oklahoma City, OK

How You Get From Here: To Here:

Presentation Plan  Foundation — need for program  Curriculum  First Step  Expansion  Results  Future

Meet The Need.. Source: USDA Census of Agriculture..Now and Later

 Fills a deep-seated desire to become a better person.  Understands common needs and conditions.  Logically simplistic.  Provides a network.  Fills a desire for learning.  Legitimizes the role of farm women.  Builds skills.  Interesting and rewarding.  Articulates a clear purpose and understanding. Criteria Of A Successful Program Foundation

Managing Information Systems Annie’s Project Program Proposal for Foundation

Farm operations are increasingly complex but not unmanageable. Information Needs: Financial Production Market Legal Human Resources Foundation

Human Resources Risk Communication/Listening Skills Goal Setting Family Environment vs Business Environment Time Management Tools: Color Matrix Curriculum

Legal Risk Where’s the Lease Where’s the Contract Where are the Insurance Papers Where are last year’s (fill-in-blank) Do I Need to Have... ? Tools:Organizational Skills Picking Professionals Internet Skills Curriculum

Market Risk When to Hold When to be Sold YOU ARE IN CHARGE— of generating your own income Tools:Marketing Plan FAST CD (Farm Analysis Solutions Tool) Training on computers Ag Decision Maker Curriculum

Production Risk Field by Field Information Who, What, Where, When, How Much Tools:Database Training Spreadsheet Training Curriculum

Financial Risk Are You Reaching Your Goals? Preparing For The Lender Preparing For Your Spouse Cost vs Income Capital Investing vs Leasing Managing Money Tools: Quicken or PCMars Training FAST CD, Ag Decision Maker and Business Plan Curriculum

Target Audience: Farm women looking for guidance and support. Size of Audience: No more than 10 women (varies greatly, 25 maximum) Series of regularly scheduled meetings Use computers Instructors as local as possible $50.00 participant fee

First Class Graduated February 2003

Expansion  The first step (Iowa and Missouri)  The project team formed (Quincy)  Iowa Extension FS farm management support  ISUE Administration support  Iowa State Extension POW  Increased Administrative Support

Expansion  The second step (other NC region states) Presentations of program success Participant word of mouth Farm press success stories CSREES Extension annual report Awards

Funding Provided by: Risk Management Agency NC Risk Management Education Center Women’s Challenge Grant $2,000 Risk Management Agency, Community Outreach Services $40,000 Small Sessions Grants $50,000 NC Risk Management Education Center ( 3 years ) $224,000* Expansion For Annie’s Project and related programs

Expansion Program has been funded by all four Risk Education Centers in NC$135,885 NE$ 25,000 W$ 38,000 S$ 20,000 Total $ 218,885* *Southern Region estimated

Expansion Requests hello Ruth, I was looking for some education sites on farm/ agriculture and came across the ANNIES PROJECT web site I am from MAINE and i was wondering if there wasnt a way to do this course in maine, I believe quite a few ppl would use this program here,, we arent a huge farming state unless ur talking trees... but we do potatoes and corn and cattle.. we have many small farms here.. I myself live in town and have always wanted to live on a farm.. I was raised in the country. but never had any farm animals.. just a dog...I have always wanted to become a barn mgr myself.. just havent persued it yet...I am thinking on taking classes in agriculture tho.. I love animals and the country.. and being in town isnt cutting it...I have horse fever practially every season.. and not enough $$ to own a horse and board it and pay for a home on my own.. so i work and work on my home and thats it...so if u have any ideas or suggestions on how to go about taking courses I would b very grateful, thank u for ur time and efforts sincerely Patty LeVasseur from Maine

Expansion Participant and Facilitator Support Participant web site: Facilitator web site: Program Planning Tools Local involvement in class planning Local fund raising Publicity Local Presenters Demand (desire) Funding (ability to pay) Support (ability to deliver)

Classes Total Classes = 252

Participants Total Participants = * estimate

Results  Educators and professionals  Skill sets  Common cause  Communication  Goals and outcomes  Group dynamics  Preparation

Annie’s Project-Evaluation Classes All Participants = not included All StatesPre Test vs Post Test Risk Assessment Survey (N) 82% Yes(N) 19% Yes% Difference Production %14926%19.2% Marketing %14929%34.6% Financial %14931%32.3% Legal %14921%33.3% Human Resources %14926%42.31%

Results  More confidence in decision making.  More involved in business and community.  Better understanding of farm business.  Better able to handle diverse personalities in farming.

 Andy’s Project  Women Marketing Grain  Collaboration with other women’s programs  Women’s Conferences  Retirement and Estate Planning for Farm Women  Farm Financial Record Keeping for Farm Women  Investing For Your Future Future Programs from lessons learned

Future Participant benefits and results Adaptation locally - logically simplistic Cross discipline cooperation Support of administration Marketing Funding Five year POW’s Positive farm press coverage

Future  National and Regional Corporate Sponsors  Cross Discipline Cooperation USDA CSREES – competitive and non-competitive grants  ANR and FCS national program leader projects  Foundation and Financial Institution Support  Competitive grants  eXtension  Program and Administrative Assistance  Better Impact Documentation Refereed publication of results

Take Home Message  Participants respond to targeted programs.  Provide a safe, nurturing environment.  Be SERIOUS about finding the RIGHT partners, collaborators, and practitioners.  Make it the most rewarding, fun, and energizing program you do!!!!

THANK YOU…….. Ruth Hambleton* Bob Wells Tim Eggers Kelvin Leibold Mary Sobba Karisha Devlin *Founder Annie’s Project National Leadership Team