One year with the WOMEN in AG PROGRAM

Transcription

1 One year with the WOMEN in AG PROGRAM JULY 1, 2015 to JUNE 30, 2016 Women in Ag

2 Women in Ag Contents at a glance Manager s message 3 Who we are 4 Why we do what we do 5 We deliver quality education 6 We connect and communicate 10 We build educator capacity 14 We use our budget wisely 16 We grow Annie s Project nationally 20 What our public value is 22 Where we are going 23 Julie Van Waardhuizen, Mahaska County Cover Photo: Cathy Ayers, Warren County Thank you to Myriam Gray for her enthusiastic assistance with this annual report. 2 WOMEN IN AG

3 Strategic Planning Committee Greene County Manager s message Hi Friends! Women have always been an important part of American agriculture. Today, they are stepping up to exciting new challenges and influential roles. Women in Iowa are managing complex farms and agribusinesses, innovating food production and land conservation, and teaching or becoming the next generation of agriculturalists. Just 15 years ago, women were 42 percent of the undergraduates in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. Today that number has jumped to 51 percent. More than one-fourth of all Iowa farmers are women and they generated an economic impact of $474 million according to the USDA-NASS 2012 Census of Agriculture. Looking at women in agribusiness, the 2015 study, Gender Roles & Equality in Agribusiness, stated nearly 90 percent of women feel optimistic about their opportunity for advancement in agricultural careers. In an effort to be more responsive to these women, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach established the Women in Ag program on July 1, This program builds on the strong foundation of Annie s Project in our state. We enjoy teaching about business planning, so the first thing we did was create a multi-year business and education plan for the new program. We borrowed from the balanced scorecard, a framework for achieving strategy and vision, to develop goals around four perspectives. Program Goals: 1. Deliver quality education 2. Connect and communicate 3. Build educator capacity 4. Use our budget wisely During a transitional year, another goal we had was to continue to grow Annie s Project nationally by assisting other educators. The first year of the Women in Ag program was incredibly satisfying as we worked towards these goals. We had fun educating women by combining research-based information with local courses, tours, online courses and county networks. We were really social by connecting online and in person to share stories, make new friends and encourage women to be life-long learners. We built the capacity of our educators by bringing the best minds together and working across boundaries. We were good financial stewards by nurturing meaningful partnerships and leveraging financial resources. We led professional development programs for Annie s Project educators from across the nation. Along the way, we met many women who truly humbled and inspired us. We highlight a few of their amazing stories in this annual report. Our educational programs improve lives by extending knowledge and empowering women. It is rewarding to see these women create public value by making a positive difference on Iowa s agricultural sustainability and global food security as the world population climbs to 9 billion by Cheers! Madeline Schultz Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Ag Program Manager 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 3

4 Women in Ag Who we are WE WORK FOR WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL IOWANS Our mission is to improve the quality of life in Iowa by providing research-based educational programs that expand agricultural business, improve natural resource management and support the community of women in agriculture. We accomplish our mission through exciting curricula and programs, engaging storytelling, motivating teamwork and gratifying partnerships. All Iowans benefit when women in agriculture are supported in taking on new challenges such as business development, water quality and leadership. WE ARE PART OF IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION AND OUTREACH Madeline Schultz, Lisa Scarbrough and Iowa State student, Morgan Ball, staff the Women in Ag program. The three of us do our work from our cozy 10 feet x 15 feet office on the northeast corner of campus in Ames, Iowa. We are under the direction of Value Added Agriculture Program Manager, Ray Hansen, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Associate Dean and Natural Resources Extension and Outreach Director, Dr. John Lawrence, and Extension and Outreach Vice President, Dr. Cathann Kress. At ISU Extension and Outreach, we cooperate with other campus staff and faculty, field specialists and county professionals. Together, we develop and offer high quality educational programs. County Professionals Field Specialists Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Ag Campus Staff/Faculty WE ARE DEDICATED TO EXTENDING KNOWLEDGE AND EMPOWERING WOMEN Madeline Schultz Program Manager Lisa Scarbrough Communications Specialist Morgan Ball Student in Agriculture Communications Kelvin Leibold Farm Management Specialist 4 WOMEN IN AG

5 Why we do what we do WE SERVE WOMEN IN IOWA As leaders, family communicators and visionaries of tomorrow s rural landscapes, women are influential decision makers. We extend knowledge and empower women in agriculture because their success contributes to a more sustainable agriculture system in Iowa and a more food secure world. Women have significant ownership, management and employment on Iowa s family farms. The 2012 USDA-NASS Census of Agriculture identified 32,167 women farm operators in Iowa. Two-thirds of these women are juggling both on-farm and off-farm careers. The 2012 Study of Farmland Ownership and Tenure in Iowa shows women own 47 percent of all Iowa farmland. The study also demonstrates 60 percent of Iowa farmland is cash or share leased with women owning 52 percent of that amount. Yet, USDA identifies women farmers as an underserved audience. In the 2015 study, Gender Roles & Equality in Agribusiness, 90 percent of men and 92 percent of women completing the survey felt women were an integral part of agribusiness. Yet, half of the women said they have experienced blunt sexism or discrimination in the workplace based on their gender. Survey responses indicated a disparity in pay between genders, with men typically earning more than women do. These trends signaled ISU Extension and Outreach to deepen our commitment to serving women in agriculture in our state. WE BUILD ON THE SUCCESS OF ANNIE S PROJECT Ruth Hambleton, University of Illinois Extension Farm Business and Marketing Specialist, taught the first Annie s Project course in Marion County, Illinois in She designed the six-session course for women around the five agricultural risk areas of finance, human resources, legal, marketing and production. She named the program after her business-minded mother, Annette Kohlhagen Fleck. The next year, Bob Wells, former ISU Extension and Outreach Farm Management Specialist, brought the program to women in Washington County, Iowa. Responding to requests from participants in Annie s Project, the ISU Extension and Outreach farm management team and other partners developed 11 new courses for women. Designed in the tradition of Annie s Project the courses cover several farm business and risk management topics. Since 2004, we facilitated 94 Annie s Project courses and 54 new farm management courses empowering 2,401 women from 71 Iowa counties. Today, the Women in Ag program is building on the strong foundation of Annie s Project. We continue to offer local courses while creating new county programs, statewide events and online opportunities to learn and network. Jennifer Bentley Dairy Specialist Farm Management Courses for Women 1. Annie s Project (2004) 2. Women Leasing Land (2009) 3. Women Managing Cattle (2010) 4. Women Marketing Grain (2010) 5. Investing for Farm Families ( online) 6. Managing for Today and Tomorrow: Farm Transition Planning (2012) 7. Annie s Project: Value Added Ag and Business Plan Emphasis (2013) 8. Moving Beyond the Basics: Financial Management (2014) 9. Women Managing Dairy Cattle (2014) 10. Heartbeat of the Farm: Human Resource Management (2015) 11. Women Managing Crops (2015) 12. Women s Roles in Farm Transition Planning ( online) 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 5

6 Women in Ag We deliver quality education WE WORK AS A TEAM We use the program development process of ISU Extension and Outreach to give us a structure for teamwork and guide us in creating new programs. The framework includes assessing needs, developing curricula, planning programs, delivering education and evaluating impacts. We collaborated with 24 different farm management, value-added agriculture, crops, beef, dairy, agricultural engineering, horticulture and family finance extension specialists to develop lessons and deliver high quality training. We cooperated with 27 county extension professionals to involve local citizens and plan more than 174 hours of county-based programming. We work with 12 campus faculty and staff to provide online registration, marketing materials and curricula development. The strength of our extension and outreach comes from our culture of working together. WE DEVELOP NEW COURSES Heartbeat of the Farm: Human Resource Management The heartbeat of every farm business is the people involved. Whether the focus is on family or nonfamily partners and employees, farm women must increasingly manage human resource risks for business success. In a 2014 survey of past Annie s Project participants, women told us their greatest human resource concerns were effective communication and the death or serious injury of a farm operator. They also wanted to know more about finding and keeping good employees. We designed the new course to help women develop effective strategies around four key issues. Topics Labor supply, recruitment and laws Family and farm business relationships Employee supervision and retention Health, safety and stress Participants in the new course, indicated there was an average of six full- or part-time workers on their family farms. They told us some of their unexpected learning was realizing other women were also experiencing stress, new ideas about farm safety, how to write standard operating procedures and limitations for youth workers. The human resource course was developed through a 2014 to 2015 grant from the USDA/NIFA North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center (at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.) Additional support came from Farm Credit Services of America. Jean Driscoll Cedar County Learn more about courses near you: 6 WOMEN IN AG

7 Lacy Mason Hops Entrepreneur One winter day, Lacy Mason was thumbing through a seed catalog and hops jumped off the page. At that moment, she embarked on an entrepreneurial journey to grow and market hops in Iowa. Lacy started her small-scale operation in Sac County with 252 hops plants. She increased her operation to 500 plants in the spring of Her recent expansion includes planting new varieties, installing an irrigation system, and purchasing a small harvester. Lacy contacted the USDA Farm Service Agency about insurance for nontraditional crops. She also secured a marketing contract with Midwest Hop Producers LLC. Lacy Mason Sac County Women s Roles in Farm and Ranch Transition Planning Guido Van der Hoeven, an economics professor at North Carolina State University, calculated $1.77 trillion in farm and ranch assets is expected to transfer from one generation to another over the next 25 years in the United States. That means $19 million per day of farm and ranch assets need to be sold or be part of a transition plan to facilitate these transfers, said Van der Hoeven. No wonder women request education on transition planning more often than any other topic. We know transition planning can be a source of stress for many women and their families. Our goal with this course is to offer step by step guidance, useful planning tools and plenty of encouragement. The online course provides 12 lessons to help women move their farm or ranch families and business partners towards successful generational transitions. Lacy has a strong entrepreneurial spirit, but she also credits her 2014 Annie s Project experience for helping her learn the business aspects of starting an agricultural venture. Annie s Project continues to be an added resource to our farming operation, said Lacy. I feel there are so many things I learned from my experience that I can apply. I never realized how rewarding it would be to have my own business, she says. The long days of hard work are tiring. Rain, wind, or shine the work has to get done, but you keep pushing through. And at the end of the day, when you see the fruits of your labor, it all makes it worth it. Learn more about Lacy s story, watch our video at edu/womeninag/lacys-story We were supported by a 2015 to 2016 grant from extension Foundation, CHS, and Women in Ag National Learning Network; through a subcontract with the University of Vermont. Additional support came from AgriBank and Farm Credit Services of America ANNUAL REPORT 7

8 Women in Ag Annie s Project Warren and Dallas Counties 13 Farm Management Courses Annie s Project: Farm Business Management 5 courses 82 participants Managing for Today and Tomorrow: Farm Transition Planning 1 course 12 participants Heartbeat of the Farm 2 courses 15 participants Women Managing Beef Cattle 2 courses 48 participants Women Managing Crops 1 course 7 participants Women Marketing Grain 2 courses 46 participants 210 Course Participants Participation from 42 Counties WE RESPOND TO NEEDS The team regularly holds local stakeholder meetings with women in agriculture and other business professionals. We also rely on our evaluation surveys to help identify emerging needs. Accordingly, we incorporated a stronger focus on grain marketing, USDA Farm Bill programs, health insurance and soil conservation in this year s Annie s Project courses. Farm management and crops extension specialists worked together to develop a Women Managing Crops course that combines agronomic knowledge with financial decision-making. We worked with Iowa Farm Bureau Federation to expand the Women Marketing Grain course. Annie s Project and other farm management courses were supported by a 2014 to 2015 grant from the USDA-Risk Management Agency, Partnerships Program. Additional sponsorship came from Farm Credit Services of America. WE EXTEND KNOWLEDGE Local, small group, multi-session courses are the hallmarks of Annie s Project and other farm management courses for women in Iowa. This helps women find support and continue learning from one another after the courses are over. Extension specialists teach many of the topics and invite local business professionals to speak. Involving a variety of speakers helps learners connect with local professionals who can help them solve problems. We guide women to research-based information and tools to help them adapt to changing situations. The ISU Research Institute for Studies in Education provided unbiased program evaluation. Demographic data shows 46 percent of survey respondents were beginning farmers (farming 10 years or less). Of the 210 participants, there were 147 survey respondents who told us they were part of family farms that operated 981,387 acres and raised 68,890 head of livestock. Survey results indicated Annie s Project courses were successful in significantly (p < 0.001) improving the knowledge of farm women in the five areas of agricultural risk management; financial, human resources, legal, marketing and production. WE EMPOWER WOMEN Survey respondents were empowered to take important actions to manage risk. Participants in Managing for Today and Tomorrow reported goal setting was the most valuable topic. Overwhelmingly, they identified communication with family members as the most important action they took during the course. Heartbeat of the Farm survey respondents indicated farm safety, health and stress were the most valuable topics. Interestingly, these were the same topics they most often identified as unexpected learning and as goals for applying what they learned. Women Marketing Grain survey respondents indicated cost of production, and cash, futures, and options contracts were the most valuable topics. During the course, participants took the most actions related to tracking market prices and developing market plans. More than 92 percent of survey respondents from Annie s Project courses agreed educators provided a safe environment, encouraged learning from other participants, allowed enough time for discussion, and invited local professionals who provided valuable information. 8 WOMEN IN AG

9 Agronomy in the Field Washington County Agronomy in the Field Innovative Learning The goal of Agronomy in the Field is to provide women opportunities to learn about crop production practices, conservation practices and water quality impacts to help strengthen decision-making on the farm and to increase comfort level when talking to landowners, tenants, ag retailers and farming partners. To date, just over 100 women were reached with this program. The success and support of Agronomy in the Field can be credited to three Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field agronomists: Meaghan Anderson, Angie Rieck-Hinz and Rebecca Vittetoe. Workshops were hosted in several locations in Iowa. The original 2015 class was introduced in Hancock County. In 2016, classes were added in Webster and Washington Counties. Next year, the crops team plans to initiate monthly workshops throughout the winter at the Washington and Webster County Extension Offices. The sessions will cover soil sampling, phosphorus and potassium management for soil fertility; ph, lime and micronutrients; nitrogen management; managing for herbicide resistant weeds; GMOs and other topics chosen by Agronomy in the Field participants. The crops team looks forward to continuing Agronomy in the Field for another growing season of hands-on learning opportunities. Sessions will be held at the McNay Memorial Research Farm, Field Extension Education Laboratory, Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm as well as in Iowa and Guthrie Counties. EXTENDING KNOWLEDGE EMPOWERING WOMEN 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 9

10 Women in Ag We connect and communicate WE KEEP OUR FRIENDS INFORMED We had fun learning about and creating our own Women in Ag website and newsletter in February Our website is a place where our audience can find the latest Women in Ag news. Visitors to the site can check our calendar for upcoming events and read stories from around the state. Women can interact and connect with us and other women in agriculture through our social media links. As a complement to our website, we introduced a monthly newsletter. By June 2016, there were 303 readers subscribed to the Women in Ag newsletter. As our program grows, our readership and engagement grow as well. Learn more and subscribe to our newsletter at womeninag. WE SHARE VIDEO STORIES Women s roles in agriculture are growing and changing. We produce video stories of some of the most remarkable women we know to inspire others to take on new challenges. Like Annie Annette Kolhagen Fleck, these women are positive role models and influential business owners and partners. This year, we created videos featuring Gayleen Moellers and Lacy Mason, two women positively impacted by our program. From a small hops business to a large dairy and hog business, these women show how Annie s Project helped them take important steps to grow their farm businesses and interact with their farming families in new ways. WE DEVELOP MARKETING MATERIALS With the help of ANR Communications, we created templates for use in promoting Women in Ag courses. Materials include brochures, fliers, posters, advertisements, news stories and more. We cooperate with colleagues in ISU Extension and Outreach county offices to promote all of the Women in Ag educational opportunities available. Throughout the year, we distributed more than 2,000 fliers, pamphlets and other promotional materials to women in agriculture. We also hosted exhibits at five events attended by 1,300 people to inform the public about our ISU Extension and Outreach Women in Ag programs. Kathy Dice Louisa County WE STREAMLINE REGISTRATION Women can now view all the courses and other events across the state and register online in one place. When women take advantage of this easy registration tool, they get all the information they need and save time. Program participants can also mail registrations or stop by their county Extension office if they prefer. We work with ANR Program Services to develop and manage our online registration system. This helps all our partners in Extension work together and streamlines registration processes. 10 WOMEN IN AG

11 Video Story Telling Winneshiek County WE NETWORK WITH COLLEAGUES Professional development and colleague engagement are important to the continued growth of the ISU Extension and Outreach Women in Ag Program. By presenting information about our programs at national conferences, we are able to connect with colleagues from across the country to share new ways to deliver important educational content and support women in agriculture. We presented a poster at the National Extension Risk Management Education Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, demonstrating the development of new curricula for the Heartbeat of the Farm: Human Resource Management course. We share our successes through awards opportunities, as well. We won a regional award from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) for a poster highlighting two Annie s Project National Educator Conferences hosted by ISU Extension and Outreach Women in Ag. WE ARE PART OF THE WOMEN IN AG NATIONAL LEARNING NETWORK Along with extension educators from 11 other states, we provided leadership to develop the Women in Ag Learning Network on extension which was launched in July The learning network is a collection of educators dedicated to exploring issues affecting women in agriculture. Working in collaboration with extension partners from other states, we build connections to share research and best education practices to help each other meet the unique learning preferences of women in agriculture. Through the extension interactive website, we provide women with online research-based resources such as articles, publications and courses. Our monthly webinars and blogs provide educational opportunities for women across the country. The extension Women in Ag Learning Network produced 22 webinars in its first two years. This year, five webinars were initiated by the Iowa State Women in Ag team. We offered webinars on machinery sharing and water quality, as well as a series of three webinars discussing farm and ranch transition planning. More than 200 viewers watched the Iowa-produced webinars. In total, the extension Women in Ag Learning Network reached nearly 900 people nationally this year, through webinar participation alone. Learn more about the network at We were supported by a 2014 to 2016 grant from extension Foundation, CHS, and Women in Ag National Learning Network; through a subcontract with the University of Vermont ANNUAL REPORT 11

12 Women in Ag Women Managing Grain Dallas and Warren Counties friends 169 reaches 19,823 shares 61 posts 94 followers 324 retweets 102 favorites 83 total tweets 73 Sara Shepherd, Adair County We Engage with Our Audience on Social Media We connect daily with our audience by posting upcoming events for women in agriculture, as well as liking, tweeting and sharing inspiring stories of women involved in all aspects of agriculture. Women in Ag Videos We posted 19 videos on YouTube and Vimeo to share stories about women in agriculture. Nearly 2,000 viewers watched our stories! The videos produced in 2016, featuring Gayleen Moellers and Lacy Mason, were already watched by 723 viewers. Learn more by clicking on the YouTube link at Sara Shepherd True Legacy Two things were apparent to Sara Shepherd in 2012; she needed a flexible schedule if she was going to have a cattle herd and she wanted to spend time with her dad. The decision to be self-employed was a huge leap of faith and I jumped big! The scariest part was not knowing if I would be able to pay my bills, she remembers. She took the Annie s Project farm management class not knowing what her future in farming would be but she wanted to learn. Her dad gave her farming lessons before he passed away and she was grateful her class helped her ask him questions about some of the missing pieces. It s about more than just passing the land to the next generation; it s about passing that knowledge base and that wealth of information. That is the true legacy, affirms Sara. Today, Sara s marketing business has grown alongside her Charolais cow-calf operation. She also raises corn and soybeans. She serves on the Adair County Extension Council and continues to participate in Women in Ag courses. Farming in Iowa is such a privilege because of the knowledge, the experience and the community here, says Sara. It s about living the lifestyle, doing what is right, and really being part of the family operation. Learn more about Sara s story, watch our video at 12 WOMEN IN AG

13 Rural Women of North Iowa Emmet County Rural Women of North Iowa Rural Women of North Iowa offers women opportunities to connect with and learn from each other as well as from guest speakers. The dynamic duo of Britney Rosburg, program director in Emmet County, and Angie Strohman, program manager in Palo Alto County, lead the ISU Extension and Outreach network. Gayleen Moellers Winneshiek County Gayleen Moellers Appreciated Employer Farm accounting and human resource management are some of the jobs Gayleen Moellers handles on her family dairy and hog farm. The Heartbeat of the Farm: Human Resource Management course was Gayleen s third Women in Ag course. She also enrolled in Annie s Project and Women Marketing Grain. I enjoy meeting and hearing from other women. The networking is wonderful, says Gayleen. Gayleen and her husband Kevin put what she learned into practice by developing standard operating procedures, job descriptions and regular employee evaluations. Probably the employee evaluation is the most beneficial to us. Employees really appreciate it, explains Kevin. Gayleen agrees. They like to hear they are doing a good job, and they can express what they think we can do different. It makes them feel more grounded with their position. Gayleen also made decisions to change her worker s compensation insurance carrier and secure a new umbrella liability policy for the farm. The new carrier required a farm safety manual, so I made one using the templates provided in class. Insurance is really important. There is always so much to learn, shares Gayleen. Learn more about Gayleen s story, watch our video at The idea for Rural Women of North Iowa grew out of the success of Annie s Project and Managing for Today and Tomorrow in Emmet and Palo Alto Counties. After those classes were over, the women who participated told us they enjoyed the programs but would like to go more in depth on some of the topics, says Britney. The reactions we ve received have been very positive. Women want these kinds of programs and they attend them, adds Angie. Britney and Angie each attended five statewide Women in Ag team meetings since 2013 to learn from their peers. We want to do our best to engage local audiences of rural women in education and networking, says Angie. This cooperative pair are role models for other county extension staff. Rural Women of North Iowa is our way of continuing to meet the educational needs of this audience, says Britney. Networking Events Agronomy with Melissa Bockman Marketing with Lakrecia Johnson Ag Advocacy with Marji Guyler-Alaniz Farm Management Roundtable Big Data with Peter Bixel Rural Living with Karen Schwaller 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 13

14 Women in Ag We build educator capacity WE COOPERATE ACROSS BOUNDARIES We manage human resources to improve organizational capacity and support ISU Extension and Outreach Agriculture and Natural Resources programs. We are proud of the cooperation among team members across the state. We are grateful county extension professionals, field specialists, and campus staff and faculty choose to bring their expertise to educational programs for women in agriculture. Locally, field specialists and county extension professionals work closely together to plan and deliver educational programs. We rely on field specialists for subject matter expertise and teaching excellence. We rely on county extension professionals for local community networks and organizational talents. On the Iowa State University campus, several teams provide essential support. The ANR Communications team helped develop marketing materials. The ANR Program Services team assisted with online registration and event support. The Research Institute for Studies in Education team guided us in effectively evaluating program impacts and identifying emerging needs. WE BRING THE BEST MINDS TOGETHER Our colleagues in extension participated in two strategic planning meetings and two professional development programs. They assessed needs and considered the best ways to provide interesting educational forums. These statewide events help us build the capacity of our educator partners to deliver high quality programs. Educators attend national professional meetings to improve our skills and share our experitise. Several colleagues attended the National Extension Risk Management Education Conference. Others attended the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference. The team prepared several presentations and posters for colleagues across the country. We also published a peer-reviewed article on the Managing for Today and Tomorrow course in the Journal of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents. Learn more by viewing the journal article at Working with our peers in other states helps build our own capacity. That s why we are part of a national professional development project to work with educators who want to teach 21st century management skills to beginning farm and ranch women. Our first role in the multi-year project was to identify and evaluate educational programs across the country that have the potential to benefit beginning farm and ranch women. Mandi Anderson Research and Evaluation Scientist The University of Vermont leads project partners from 13 states. This 2015 to 2019 project was made possible through a grant from the USDA-NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. 14 WOMEN IN AG

15 Shane Ellis Farm Management Specialist Shane Ellis Dedicated Educator Through his university experiences, Shane Ellis found a passion for education. After completing a graduate degree in agricultural economics, he began working for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. When I first became a farm management specialist, I noticed a need for women s education. I began teaching Annie s Project and I soon made it a goal of mine to offer it in all of my counties, says Shane. He enjoys bringing information to people who have a strong base in agriculture and want to learn more. So far, Shane has taught nine Annie s Project courses and two Women Managing Cattle Courses. In 2015, he offered the new Heartbeat of the Farm course. Then he collaborated with extension field agronomists to design another new course combining financial and agronomic decision making for corn and soybean production. The Women Managing Crops course was well received and Shane used that experience to help apply for a Risk Management Education grant. This grant helped the Women in Ag team offer more Women Managing Crops, Annie s Project, and Women Marketing Grain courses in Iowa. We ve seen our programming expand because women told us they wanted more and they had specific requests, says Shane. The women in his classes keep things interesting. I want to make sure everyone gets their questions answered and you never know what the women will ask next, Shane explains. The best farm managers out there are women. They have the thought pattern and detail oriented skills, Shane says. Women have a knack for making decisions. Learn more, watch Shane s video at EXTENDING KNOWLEDGE EMPOWERING WOMEN 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 15

16 Women in Ag We use our budget wisely WE START WITH A STRONG BALANCE The new Women in Ag program started on July 1, 2015, with a beginning balance of $303,262 from five multi-year grant projects, two multi-year gift projects and a small amount of other carry-over funds. This beginning balance came from our previous work with women in agriculture programming. WE LEVERAGE OUR SOURCES OF FUNDS Iowa State University ISU Extension and Outreach provided $106,345 in base funding for the Women in Ag program. USDA Grants and Industry Gifts For every $1.00 in Iowa State University funds, we leveraged $2.37 in grant and gift funds. We extended university funding to broaden our scope of programming. This allowed us to develop new programs and connect with women in agriculture in more ways. We brought together funds from USDA grants and industry gifts to help create greater public value from our work. We successfully applied for one new grant this year. The four-year USDA-NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program helps us expand educational opportunities for beginning farm women across Iowa and the nation. Led by the University of Vermont, several states are collaborating on the project. We successfully applied for two new industry gifts this year. Based on our shared goals of providing educational opportunities for women in agriculture, Farm Credit Services of America and AgriBank collaborated with us on statewide support of local and online courses as well as special events. Registration Fees Our programs are demand driven. One way we can understand audience demand is by monitoring their willingness to pay for educational opportunities. We asked women to pay roughly one-fourth of the cost of the local courses they participated in and benefited from. We took in $14,110 in registration fees from 13 local farm management courses for women. Most of these fees went back to the counties to help cover program expenses. Other Occasionally, we receive fees from other entities who pay for educational services we provide. Another type of revenue generation comes from t-shirt or other product sales. April Hemmes Franklin County 16 WOMEN IN AG

17 BEGINNING BALANCE, MULTI-YEAR FUNDS $303,262 (July 1, 2015) + USDA Grants: $149,275 38% 27% Iowa State University: $106,345 26% SOURCES of FUNDS FY16 $390,002 36% Grow Annie s Project Nationally: $139,200 Industry Gifts: $102,192 5% Other: $18,080 4% Registration Fees: $14,110 USES of FUNDS FY16 $387,344 26% Deliver Quality Education: $98,697 20% 9% Connect and Communicate: $78,576 9% Build Educator Capacity: $35,032 Financial Stewardship: $35,839 = ENDING BALANCE, MULTI-YEAR FUNDS $305,920 (June 30, 2016) 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 17

18 STATEWIDE SPONSORS Women in Ag WE ARE PURPOSEFUL IN OUR USES OF FUNDS Deliver Quality Education Expenses under this goal cover curricula development and program delivery. Other costs include educator travel to present programs around the state; printing and copying of educational materials; university services such as evaluation and design; and direct course support for participant supplies, food and other needs. We put more time and effort into delivering quality education than any other program goal. The funds expended included 44 percent of total salary, benefits and wages. Connect and Communicate Sharing information, building social media networks, marketing programs and storytelling are all part of connecting with women in agriculture. Other costs include equipment such as computers, cameras and displays, printing and copying of promotional materials, and online registration expenses. The funds expended for connecting and communicating included 27 percent of the total salary, benefits and wages. Build Educator Capacity Expenses under this goal are for statewide team planning meetings, team capacity building, and attending professional meetings hosted by others. Other costs include travel, facilities rental, printing and registration fees for professional meetings. The funds expended to build educator capacity included 13 percent of the total salary, benefits and wages. Financial Stewardship Our multiple sources of funds require effective financial management. This includes time spent writing, managing and reporting on grants and gifts. Other costs include university indirect costs and fees for documentation and management of grants and gifts. The funds expended for financial stewardship included 13 percent of the total salary, benefits and wages. Grow Annie s Project Nationally Support of National Annie s Project activities was a major part of our work this year. More than two-thirds of these funds was a gift developed collaboratively to support Annie s Project in Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. The USDA-NIFA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development program grant and a Farm Credit National Contributions gift supported Professional Development for Annie s Project educators nationally. The funds expended for growing Annie s Project nationally included 3 percent of the total salary, benefits and wages. WE END WITH A STRONG BALANCE We ended the fiscal year on June 30, 2016 with an ending balance of $305,920 due to one multi-year grant project, two multi-year gift projects and a small amount of other carry-over funds. We are moving forward with a strong financial position. 18 WOMEN IN AG

19 Brandy VanDeWalle University of Nebraska Extension Teresa Mardesen Farm Credit Services of America Teresa Mardesen Partner Extraordinaire Teresa Mardesen, community relations manager at Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica), continually encourages us to innovate and grow. It s always a pleasure to talk with her to brainstorm ideas for programming. We love that Teresa promotes our programs to help increase our connections with women across Iowa. As an agricultural lender and financial cooperative, FCSAmerica shares our mission to provide education for women involved in agriculture. We re proud to partner with ISU Women in Ag. Empowering women in agriculture is key to further developing important skills and building meaningful networks in the ag community, says Teresa. Women in Ag does great work and continues to make exponential impact! FCSAmerica began collaborating with us in Since then, 2,401 Iowa women benefited from Annie s Project and other Women in Ag programs. FCSAmerica support helped us develop new courses, host special events and share stories of successful women in agriculture. Teresa consistently supports us in building the capacity of our educators so that we can deliver high quality programs for women. FCSAmerica was an engaged partner as we developed the Managing for Today and Tomorrow: Farm Transition Planning course for women in They continued to support our efforts as we designed the online Women s Roles in Farm and Ranch Transition Planning course in It is important to foster this type of learning and outreach in the agriculture community, says Teresa. EXTENDING KNOWLEDGE EMPOWERING WOMEN 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 19

20 Women in Ag Program We grow Annie s Project nationally WE CONTRIBUTE LEADERSHIP For more than ten years, we contributed to the Annie s Project national leadership team. We helped train and support nearly 300 educators in 35 states who taught Annie s Project courses to more than 9,000 women. In 2015, the Annie s Project Education for Farm Women organization was ready to take on more leadership while ISU Extension and Outreach desired to transition programs to partner organizations where it made sense. This was a transitional year as we completed national projects and assisted Annie s Project Education for Farm Women in taking on new roles. Kelvin Leibold continues to serve on the Annie s Project national board of directors and Madeline Schultz continues to serve as the Annie s Project state coordinator for Iowa. WE HELP BRAND ANNIE S PROJECT We love the new Annie s Project logo. We initiated this project to update the brand with The Meyocks Group and Annie s Project Education for Farm Women. When the new logo and brand guidelines were ready, we created several marketing templates, and designed and printed new roll-up banners. We distributed these materials to every Annie s Project state. This 2014 to 2015 project was made possible by the generosity of The Meyocks Group. Additional support came from Farm Credit National Contributions. Learn more about Annie s Project at WE TRAIN EDUCATORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY Women are an important audience for extension educators because their success contributes to a more sustainable agriculture system. Annie s Project is a well-established program designed to teach farm and ranch women how to make good business management decisions. With this in mind, we trained 54 educators from 22 states with an event held on campus this year. The tours, personal and video storytelling, speaker presentations, and farmer and expert panels all provided a rich learning experience. The project was made possible by a 2012 to 2015 grant from the USDA/NIFA North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development Program (at the University of Minnesota). Additional support came from Farm Credit National Contributions program. Sharon Romney, Lesta Conger and Kim Allen South Dakota Learn more about educators at 20 WOMEN IN AG

21 Robin Salverson South Dakota WE BRING TOGETHER SOUTHERN PARTNERS Educators in the states of Florida, Alabama and South Carolina wanted to grow their Annie s Project programs and help the University of Georgia get started with their first two Annie s Project courses. We facilitated regional teamwork and provided educator training. The southern partners organized seven local courses and collaborated with the National Farmers Union on a conference for women in Florida. We co-wrote a proposal that resulted in a 2014 to 2015 USDA Risk Management Agency Risk Management Education Partnerships Program grant led by the University of Florida. Additional support came from Farm Credit National Contributions and Ag South Farm Credit. WE COLLABORATE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS After their initial Annie s Project courses, extension educators in Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming approached us to assist them in growing the program in their states. We offered educator training, instructor tools, participant materials and program evaluation. A total of 243 women in these states attended 23 Annie s Project, Women Managing Cattle and Managing for Today and Tomorrow courses. This project was made possible through a partnership with Farm Credit Services of America. WE SUPPORT OTHER STATES Traveling to New York, we trained 23 educators from across the state to deliver Annie s Project and Managing for Today and Tomorrow courses. We provided Annie s Project and Managing for Today and Tomorrow educational materials for courses in 17 states. We also wrote a monthly educator newsletter, maintained a national Annie s Project website, and offered program evaluation instruments and reports. Robin Salverson SASSY Achievements It wasn t long after they put on their first Annie s Project course in 2007, that Robin Salverson and her colleague, Adele Harty, decided they wanted to Sustain Annie s Project Systems in South Dakota for Years to come. They set to work on their SASSY goal right away. Working through a reorganization of the South Dakota Cooperative Extension System, this was no easy task. Robin also overcame personal health challenges while staying true to her SASSY goal. Robin and Adele led statewide efforts to bring Annie s Project to more counties by involving other educators. They also looked to USDA grants and industry gifts to supplement their lean extension budgets for local programming. The dedicated leaders developed innovative programs that kept county based groups of local women learning and networking. I don t believe that we re necessarily always the teachers in Annie s Project, or the educators, Robin says. It s really the women within the group. And I think that s what s really powerful about Annie s Project. Robin and Adele brought the Managing for Today and Tomorrow and Women Managing Cattle courses to South Dakota, too. As extension beef specialists, they have a strong following of ranch women attend their programs and provide inspiration for new ways to connect and learn. Robin and Adele are admired by other extension educators across the country and are dedicated to SASSY achievements. Learn more by watching South Dakota videos at A 2014 to 2015 gift from Farm Credit National Contributions made this support possible ANNUAL REPORT 21

22 Women in Ag What our public value is WE IMPROVE LIVES All Iowans benefit when we extend knowledge and empower women in agriculture. With guidance and encouragement, women start important conversations with family members and business partners and take purposeful actions to improve lives. WE EXPAND AGRICULTURE BUSINESS Participants in Women in Ag programs access research-based information and make informed management decisions to reduce financial, human resources, legal, marketing and production risks. They use benchmarks to analyze their financial situation, review how well insurance will minimize business disruptions caused by death or disability, prepare generational transition and estate plans, identify new markets, calculate breakeven prices and make improvements to crop and livestock production practices. Women operate more profitable agriculture businesses and start new businesses. Profitable agriculture businesses increase employment rates, reduce rural poverty and foster a resilient Iowa economy. WE IMPROVE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT As women become more aware of the state s conservation goals, they tap into USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency programs to implement farming innovations. They update farm leases to include conservation practices. As women build agronomic skills, they manage manure and build soil fertility while minimizing excess nutrient run-off. They also manage disease, insects and weeds while minimizing costly chemical use. Innovative farming practices reduce soil loss, improve water quality and maintain Iowa s natural resources for both current and future generations. WE SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY OF WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE Our program helps women in agriculture develop a network of peers and professionals. Learning from and with one another reinforces life-long learning and behavioral changes. Individuals who feel connected with others, experience less stress and are more likely to reach out to help others. Additionally, a strong network results in greater rural lifestyle satisfaction and increased community participation. When women expand and apply their agricultural knowledge and mobilize their higher level aspirations, they become even greater contributing leaders and decision-makers within their families and communities. Linda Guy Hardin County WE CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE IOWA AND A MORE FOOD SECURE WORLD Our program brings positive changes. When we extend knowledge and empower women in agriculture, they create a more sustainable Iowa by improving economic resiliency and stability; conserving natural resources; and being influential agricultural leaders, family members and teachers. By ensuring the sustainability of Iowa s agricultural and natural resources, women in the agricultural industry are key stakeholders in the production of safe, accessible, and plentiful food, contributing to the world s food security. 22 WOMEN IN AG

23 Where we are going Plannning the Future Hamilton County WE ARE MOVING FORWARD As we roll into the second year of ISU Extension and Outreach Women in Ag, we are finding imaginative ways to move forward. We have strong curricula and dedicated colleagues to help us offer high quality farm management courses including the popular Annie s Project. The ISU Extension and Outreach crops team is expanding Agronomy in the Field to offer instruction in the classroom during the winter along with the summertime workshops at the Iowa State research farms. We want to be even more social by sharing fun and newsworthy information online and by going more places to meet more women in agriculture. Building our professional capacity remains a priority and our strategic planning to meet the needs of our audience keeps getting more creative. We will stay diligent in leveraging our funds by seeking diverse sources of funding for our programs. WE ARE STARTING NEW INITIATIVES The new Women Impacting the Land recognition program will highlight the stories of eight amazing women who are innovating land conservation, enhancing rural communities and connecting with Iowa State University. We look forward to a tradition of honoring amazing women in agriculture every year. County extension professionals are taking on leadership roles in offering local tours, hands-on workshops and other opportunities for local networks of women in agriculture. At the same time, we are creating new statewide forums. We are designing a new leadership conference for farm and agribusiness women. We are moving into the second year of the national four-year grant project to assist educators across the country in educating beginning farm and ranch women. Deepening our research and train-the-trainer activities with this national team allows us to better serve beginning farm women right here in our state. Next year, we plan to add another new online course. This one will be based on the Heartbeat of the Farm: Human Resource Management curricula. We will look for new opportunities to collaborate with groups and organizations who share our vision to increase connections and serve women in agriculture. Moving forward, our mission remains to improve the quality of life in Iowa by providing research-based educational programs that expand agricultural business, improve natural resource management, and support the community of women in agriculture ANNUAL REPORT 23

24 Annie s Project Graduation Dallas and Polk Counties July 2015 to June 2016 was the first year for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Ag. With the help of our county extension professionals, field specialists, and campus team members, we worked hard to improve the quality of life for women in agriculture by providing research-based educational programs. Read this report to learn more about the achievements of our team and the women we serve. Learn more at For more information, contact Madeline Schultz, Program Manager Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Phone: (515) schultz@iastate.edu Iowa State University Extension and Outreach does not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or status as a U.S. veteran. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Ross Wilburn, Diversity Officer, 2150 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, , wilburn@iastate.edu. WIA 0013A March 2017 WIA 0013 February WOMEN IN AG