Collaboration Strengthens Outreach to Audiences of Women in Ag

Prepared for

National Extension Risk Management Education

Conference

April 12, 2018 – Milwaukee, WI

Madeline Schultz with grandson, Brantley.

Key Messages Preview 1. Women are an involved

audience

2. ISU mission is to improve lives and food security

3. We focus on research based education

4. Collaboration builds capacity internally and externally

5. Women participating in programs can impact:

• Economic resiliency

• Land stewardship

• Families and communities

Kelvin Leibold with April Hemmes, 2016 Woman Impacting the Land honoree.

Women’s Historical Roles • Women have always earned

money:

• In 1938, The Farm Security Administration (FSA) estimated women’s income from poultry and dairy operations provided 40-50% of the household budget.

• This did not include non-farm entrepreneurial ventures.

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Photo: Vendor of chickens at farmers' market in Weatherford, Texas. Farm Security Administration, 1939. (www.loc.gov)

Source: Jenny Barker-Devine, Illinois College

Women’s Historical Roles

• What did it mean to be a farm woman in the past?

• Marriage• Childbearing • Food production • Laundry and clothing construction • Community building

• Women were dependent:• Rarely owned land or signed legal

documents

• Extension programs emphasized women’s reproductive and household roles.

Photo: Learning about agriculture at the Freedom Township Women’s Club, Palo Alto County, ca. 1955. Source: Jenny Barker-Devine, Illinois College - Courtesy of the Iowa Women’s Archives, Iowa City

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Women’s Changing Roles Today

• Women are earning more money:

• 67% of all women farm operators in Iowa, have full or part-time off-farm jobs.

• USDA reported that for the 7,108 women principle farm operators in Iowa:

• Market value of agricultural products sold and government payments was $511 Million.

Source: USDA 2012 Census of Agriculture

Linda Guy, made the move from off-farm career to on-farm career.

Women’s Changing Roles Today

• What does it mean to be a farm woman today?

• Home and family still central to lives

• Community building just as strong

• Women are independent: • Land owners

• Decision-makers

• Valued business partners

• Extension emphasizes management and leadership, along with family roles

Shane Ellis teaching Annie’s Project in Greene County, 2017.

Iowa Women Farm Operators

• 32,167 Iowa women farm operators

• 25% of all Iowa farm operators

• 55.9 years is average age of Iowa women

• 26% of women operators over age 64

• 8% of women operators under age 35

Source: USDA Census of Agriculture, 2012

Lacy Mason carved out her hops business on her family corn and soybean farm.

Iowa Women Land Owners

Source: Iowa Farmland Ownership and Tenure Study, 2012

Brandi Wiig, with her Mom, RexanneStruve, is the next generation to operate her family’s farm.

• Women own 47% of all Iowa farmland:

• Women over 65 own 29% of Iowa farmland

• Women ages 35 to 64 own 16% of Iowa farmland

• Women under age 35 own 2% of Iowa farmland

• Women own 52% of leased agriculture land:

• 40% of Iowa farmland is owner-operated

• 46% is cash leased• 13% is crop share leased

Women at Iowa State University

• Women in ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences:

• Steady increase over past 25 years

• 52% of undergraduates are women in 2017/18

• 25% of faculty are women in 2017/18

• 16th President of Iowa State University:

• Dr. Wendy Wintersteen

Students walking towards Beardshear Hall on ISU campus.

Women in Agribusiness Leadership

Source: Gender Roles & Equality in Agribusiness, 2015 Survey Highlights, AgCareers.com

Agriculture is Benefiting from Women Who:

• Manage, work in or own complex farm businesses.

• Lead, work in or own local to global agribusinesses.

• Innovate food production and conservation methods.

• Serve on county, regional and national boards.

• Teach the next generation.

Julie Van Waardhuizen expanded her hog business.

Women Value Education That Helps Them:

• Juggle farming and non-farming careers.

• Make good land management decisions.

• Begin new businesses.

• Operate profitable businesses.

• Work with family members or other business partners.

• Take on leadership roles. Kimberly Suhr and Donna Banowetzdrafted business plans through a class in 2015.

ISU Women in Ag Mission:

To improve the quality of life in Iowa by providing research-based educational programs that:

1. expand agricultural business,

2. improve natural-resource management,

3. and support the community of women in agriculture.

Women learning about farm transition through the first Managing for Today and Tomorrow class – 2012.

ISU Women in Ag Goals: Designed around the Balanced Scorecard Framework

Deliver Quality Education - Efficiency a. Understand needs of

target audiences

b. Design new curricula and programs

c. Organize statewide activities and promotion

d. Deliver programs

e. Monitor evaluation results and report impacts

f. Collaborate with internal partners:

• County Professionals • Area Field Specialists • Campus Services and

Expertise

Statewide Planning Meeting, October 2017.

Program Development Process

Annie’s Project

• 2003 - Ruth Hambleton founded the program in Illinois.

• Since 2004 - Iowa held 109 courses reaching 1,922 women

• Nationally recognized program currently in 33 states

• Topics focus on farm business and risk management

100th Annie’s Project Class in Iowa, Ft. Dodge, 2018.

Annie’s Project Key Principles

1. Teach all five areas of agricultural risk: • financial, human resources, legal, marketing, and production

2. Invite local women service providers to serve as guest instructors where possible

3. Allocate half of class time to discussion and hands-on activities

4. Provide un-biased, researched based information

5. Create a learning environment where mentoring is spontaneous

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Values: Safe Harbor, Connection, Discovery, Shared Experience

11 More Farm Management Curricula: 64 courses reached 892 women

• 2005 - Women Leasing Land

• 2010 – Women Managing Cattle

• 2010 – Women Marketing Grain

• 2010 – Annie’s Project: Value Added Businesses

• 2011 – Investing for Farm Families (online)

• 2012 – Managing for Today and Tomorrow: Farm Transitioning

• 2014 - Moving Beyond the Basics: Farm Finance

• 2014 - Women Managing Dairy Cattle

• 2015 - Heartbeat of the Farm: Human Resource Management

• 2015 – Women Managing Crops

• 2016 – Women’s Roles in Farm and Ranch Transition Planning (online)

Other Educational Activities

• “Women Impacting Agriculture” statewide recognition program

• Agronomy in the Field – led by ISU Crops Team

• Boots in the Barn – led by ISU Dairy and Beef Teams

• Peer Groups - led by County Extension Professionals

• Online courses –through Ag Decision Maker and eXtension

• Online social networks and newsletters

Julie Walters, 2016 Woman Impacting the Land honoree.

Upcoming Extension-led Activities

• 6 Summer Women in Ag Tours –led by counties

• June 15 to Sept 7, 2018

• 1 Iowa Women in Agriculture pre-conference Tour

• August 1-2, 2018 - Ankeny, IA

• Women in Ag Statewide Educator Meeting

• October 9-10, 2018 – Ames, IA

• Women in Ag Leadership Conference

• November 26-27, 2018 – Ames, IA

Women Marketing Grain, 2015

Examples of Evaluation: Annie’s Project

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Implement NRCS programs

Determine basis on grain bid sheet

Update estate plan in last 2 years

Have health care power of attorney

Calculate costs of production

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CHANGES IN PRACTICES

Pre - Post-

Evaluation: Women in Ag Leadership Conference

Examples of Sharing Evaluation Results

Connect and Communicate: Satisfaction

a. Scan environment• Stay tuned in to happenings

b. Build brand value • Use red bar; maintain extension

identity

• Provide research based education

c. Support consistent messaging • Mission and public value• “Extending Knowledge,

Empowering Women”

d. Grow Marketing Channels• Newsletter, website, on-line

registration, print media, annual report

e. Monitor collaboration with external partners Subtle branding at the Leadership

conference, 2017.

Collaboration Activities • Individuals

• Invite service on committees

• USDASupport FSA diversity efforts Partner with NRCS Women

Land and Legacy programs Apply for NIFA and RMA

grants

• Industry Connect with local Farm

Credit Associations Include local cooperatives

and agribusinesses

• Extension colleagues in other states (1862s, 1890s, and 1994s)

Reach out through www.extension.org/womeninag

SCORE: https://newfarmers.usda.gov/mentorship

Seek to contribute to collaborating organizations

• Women Land and Legacy

• Iowa Women in Agriculture

• Central Iowa Women in Agribusiness

• National Farmers Union

• Women Food and Ag Network

• Iowa Farm Bureau

• Iowa Corn Growers

• Iowa Cattleman's Assoc.

CIWA - Hawkeye Breeders Tour, March 2018

Build Educator Capacity: Innovation

a. Support professional development

b. Utilize project management principles

c. Grow team work and collaboration

d. Improve program quality

e. Clarify roles and responsibilities

f. Develop strategy

g. Monitor actual performance compared to team goals

Panel of colleagues at Statewide Planning Meeting, October 2017.

Team Building Activities • Statewide Planning Meeting

• Small group meetings

• Evaluation team

• Grant project teams

• Third Thursdays at Three webinars

• Shared CyBox files/folders

• Women in Ag Working Group

• Process improvement

• Online registration

• Marketing tools

• Peer Mentoring

• Help others receive recognition and awards

Melissa O’Rourke sharing tips for utilizing steering committees at Statewide Planning Meeting.

Use Our Budget Wisely: Financial Performance

a. Leverage university funds with grants and gifts

b. Improve efficiency of financial processes

c. Communicate Public Value

d. Monitor accuracy of budgets

Grant and Gift Activities • 14 years of Risk Management

47 grants

$2.8 Million in leveraged funding

• Current Projects • RMA: Deliver 9 courses, new

materials, and extend outreach

• NIFA E-RME: Conduct 6 tours and produce 6 how-to videos

• NIFA BFRDP Educational Enhancement: Support educators in working with beginning farmer and rancher women

• FCSAmerica: Statewide support of courses and more

• AB: Develop human resource course online

Farm Management Team during 2017 Fall In-Service

Public Value

• When we extend knowledge and empower women in agriculture, they can:

1. improve farm and agribusiness profitability and rural economic resiliency,

2. conserve natural resources, and

3. become influential family members, community leaders and teachers.

• By improving agricultural sustainability, women in the industry are key stakeholders in the production of safe, accessible, and plentiful food. Lisa and Madeline mentor students

interested in Extension careers, 2017.

Stories - Sara

“Beginning farmers are a minority, and being a woman doing the work myself is even more unique. I’m growing corn and soybeans and doing the daily management and decision making for my cattle.”

– Sara Shepherd Sara started a new farm business after participating in Annie’s Project and learned more though Women Managing Cattle.

Stories - Kris and Patty

“One of the best things that came out of it was that my husband and I sat down and had that goal setting talk. As spouses and partners in business, we don’t formalize our goals the way that we did after that particular meeting.”

– Kris Walker

Kris and Patty made transition plans after participating in Managing for Today and Tomorrow in 2012.

Stories - Nicole

“I always meant to start a business plan, but never started it. It was good to get it done. In past classes I took, we were strongly encouraged to write one, but never ‘forced’ (said with a laugh.)”

₋ Nicole JonasNicole moved into full time farming after participating in Annie’s Project for Women Planning Value Added Businesses, 2012.

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Stories - Janice

• “I went down to the FSA office and was given a list of things to come back with. I said, I’ve been to Annie’s Project and I have everything you need with me!”

- Janice Turner

Janice had the confidence to better manage her farmland after participating in Annie’s Project in 2014.

Key Messages Review

1. Women are an involved audience

2. ISU mission is to improve lives and food security

3. We focus on research based education

4. Collaboration builds capacity internally and externally

5. Women participating in our programs can impact:

• Economic resiliency, • Land stewardship

• Families and communities

Managing for Today and Tomorrow graduates, Ames, IA, 2017.

Thank you for your interest!

• Madeline Schultz• Women in Ag Program Manager • schultz@iastate.edu

• Charles Brown• Farm Management Field Specialist, SE Iowa • crbrown@iastate.edu

• Lisa Scarbrough• Communications Specialist • lscarb@iastate.edu

• Website • www.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag