SHIPSHEWANA, Ind. — The upcoming Midwest Women in Agriculture conference will give attendees a chance to learn and share information designed to improve their lives and their roles around the farm, an organizer said.

The 11th annual conference is Feb. 29-March 1 at the Shipshewana Town Center. About 120 people attended last year.

A conference geared primarily toward women offers different opportunities than a general farm conference, said Margie Zoglmann, Purdue University Cooperative Extension director and extension educator of agriculture and natural resources, in Perry County.

The conference is organized by Purdue extension.

“We’ve found that a lot of women are more comfortable in sharing with just women,” explained Zoglmann, also the conference chair.

“They look at the farm operation differently than men and have different roles on the farm. They also tend to share more about their experiences, their lives and opportunities.

“We’ve learned from past conference evaluations that they have more confidence and more comfort in their roles after attending,” Zoglmann added. “By networking and getting a chance to talk to other ladies, they don’t feel as if they’re alone. They know there are others who have had the same experiences.”

The conference’s keynote speaker, Jane Jenkins Herlong, will present an often humorous look at life on the farm and will share her experiences as a farm wife in South Carolina, Zoglmann noted. Herlong, a professional speaker and published author, will speak March 1 to close the conference.

Keynote speaker Pam Boocher, senior marketing associate with Elanco, will discuss the role of technology in providing food for the world’s population and how consumers feel about that technology. Boocher will speak during lunch Feb. 29.

The evening program Feb. 29 will focus on agriculture and the role of farm women in other countries, as a group of extension educators will discuss farming in Costa Rica.

Fred Whitford, coordinator of Purdue’s pesticide program, will share stories about the “Queen of American Agriculture,” Virginia Claypool Meredith, an early pioneer of women’s involvement in agriculture. Meredith managed a farm in east-central Indiana in the late 19th century and was instrumental in the history of Purdue. Whitford, who will speak the morning of March 1, co-wrote a book about Meredith in 2008.

In addition to the main speakers, the conference will have a variety of breakout sessions covering topics such as estate planning, health, farm production and women’s roles as caretakers for the family.

“These are topics women have asked for at previous conferences,” Zoglmann noted. “We try to give a little something for everybody and make sure we have something for everyone.”

The estate planning sessions are especially crucial for farm families, she added. “It’s really important to get the conversation started and understand how to get to the next step. You need to make sure you’re going through the process with the whole family.”

Early bird registration for the conference ends Feb. 15. Before that date, the cost for both days is $90. The cost to attend just one day is $80 per day. After Feb. 15, the cost is $140 for both days and $115 to attend one day.

A conference rate of $89.99 plus tax per night is available at the Amish Country Inn for reservations made by Feb. 15.

For more details, including registration, go to www.agriculture.purdue.edu/wia/conference.html