JOHN W. BERRY, AGRICULTURAL MARKETING EDUCATOR & WINIFRED W. MCGEE ECONOMIC/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EDUCATOR PENN STATE EXTENSION Adapting the highly successful Annie's Project to diverse east coast farm communities

Annie’s Project The mission – to empower female farmers to be proactive in addressing business risk through networks and by managing and organizing critical information.

Standard Annie’s Curriculum Six-Day Course that addresses: Production Risk Price or Market Risk Financial Risk Institutional and Legal Risk Human and Personal Risk

Annie’s Hallmark -- Interaction No more than ½ each session spent in lecture! Networking/discussion Class activities Guest speakers/panels

The Pennsylvania Goal: To modify the extremely successful mid-western program for eastern participants, whose farms are often: Smaller More diversified Adding value as a major strategy In a “mixed use” community

Differentiating Annie’s Project for the Northeast NE Annie’s Project Feedlot beef/goats Heirloom Vegetables CSA Free-range poultry Farmstead cheese Product liability insurance Enterprise budgets Mid-West Annie’s Project Large farms & ranches Grain Corn Soybeans Hogs Cattle Dairy Commodity Markets Crop Insurance FINPACK Analysis VS

Customizing Annie’s Project Multi-disciplinary team NE CRME funding secured Interface with PA women farmers Creating curriculum  To answer their questions  To address their concerns  To encourage and empower

Annie’s Project Agenda Day 1 – Course Introduction Meet presenters and other participants Learn how Annie’s Project “works” Risk Tolerance Self-assessment

Annie’s Project Agenda Day 2 – Marketing Risks Truly Targeting your Market Strategic Marketing Planning for Resiliency in Changing Marketplace

Annie’s Project Agenda Day 3 – Production Risks Mapping Past Changes Management Tools – Diversification, Insurance, Technology and Contracts Building your Advisory Team SWOT Analyses

Annie’s Project Agenda Day 4 – Financial Risks Financial + Marketing + Production Ties Budgets = paper trial runs  Activities – Using cash flow/enterprise figures for decision-making Farm credit/banker/ag grant recipient as presenter/panel

Annie’s Project Agenda Day 5 – Human Resource Risks Developing a proactive/responsive leadership skill set Working with/for relatives versus non-related employees Creating contingency plans

Annie’s Project Agenda Day 6 – Community Risks Selecting the Appropriate Business Structure Evaluating/creating CSA Contracts Regulatory/Environmental issues Local Government/Agencies – Who’s in charge?

Kicking the Tires –piloting the workshop Pilot Session in Exton, Pennsylvania Collaborated with Chester County Economic Development Council November, December 2008 and January registered participants  2 vegetable growers  2 dairy  1 feedlot beef  1 poultry  1 PASA representative  1 insurance industry representative  1 “exploring” agriculture

Challenges Faced Winter weather! Span of classes – 2 per month, three months Extensive evaluation of impact Level of family support for Annie’s Project/the ag business Acceptance of new/different ways to look at and do things Outside forces  Off-farm employment  Jury duty

Positive Outcomes Rapid relationship building  Share concerns  “Test market” value-added products Participants as experts  CSA development  Insurance consults  Environmental grants Linkage to other classes  2 participant enrolled in Your Future in Focus business planning course  2 participants collaborating with Extension in development of Annie’s Project – Women Adding Value

Participant Feedback: Why Annie’s Project was Successful Intimate nature of workshop Immediate application to “their own farms” Amount of usable information  Applied to farms  Applied to their lives Ability to ask questions of  Each other  The instructors  Guest speakers

A Taste of PA Annie’s Curriculum Session Activity: Mapping your Production Change

Tips for (Would-be) Annie’s Project Instructors Not for the faint of heart!  Know more than what’s in the Power Point  Be ready to follow rabbit trails  Let the participants guide the class  BUT – Always have 2-3 key concepts that need to be learned, discussed and tried out before the session ends! Be ready to explore with the class Have the “next step” in mind Take personal interest in the participants – be part of their network!

Next Steps for Annie’s Project in the North East Train-the-Trainer in State College PA June 20 & 21, 2010 Support from Annie’s National Team 2-Day Agenda  Stakeholder Meeting  Trainer pre-session  Women Ag-Professionals roundtable  Female Farmers roundtable  Annie’s Train-the-Trainer Session  Overview of Annie’s Project – purpose, mechanics, marketing, financing  Introduction to Annie’s Project for the NE Curriculum – familiarization with in-class activities and the interactive presentation method

JOHN W. BERRY, AGRICULTURAL MARKETING EDUCATOR & WINIFRED W. MCGEE ECONOMIC/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EDUCATOR PENN STATE EXTENSION Adapting the highly successful Annie's Project to diverse east coast farm communities