HAMILTON, Ohio — Women in agriculture who want to take a more active role in the farm are invited to sign up for Annie’s Project, a risk management course offered by Ohio State University (OSU) Extension. The six-week course will be Jan. 5 through Feb. 9 at the OSU Extension office, Butler County. 

The program is for women looking to be or maybe already are a part of the farming business,” said Cindy Meyer, agriculture and natural resources educator, OSU Extension, Butler County. “It gives women the opportunity to hear from female agriculture professionals and network with other women in similar situations.”

The classes cover communication within a family and a business, farm planning that would include goal setting, record keeping, and developing a business plan. Retirement and transition are also covered. The classes will look at financial management, working with a lender, looking at insurance and marketing, commodity marketing and working with crop consultants, looking at soil health and water quality. Also risk management will be tackled, which includes liability issues, contracts and leases.

“That will be tailored to the interests of the class,” Meyer explained. “If we have fruit and vegetable grower folks, we’ll look at tailoring it to those interests, or if we have more row crops, we’ll work that into that commodity.”

The program has received broad support from participants and agricultural lenders, agribusinesses and more. Martha Enriquez was a participant in Clermont County three years ago.

“My mother, my sister and I were starting a small business on our farm, and I just wanted some contacts and advice and some mentoring on how to do a business in the agricultural area,” Enriquez said. “The most valuable thing was connecting with other female farmers and hearing so many of the speakers who brought up issues that I would never have thought of, like insurance, planning for the future of your farm and property, marketing, things that I at that time had not given much thought to.”

Enriquez said attending Annie’s Project was a good experience, and it was well done. She and her family have a dairy goat farm, Pine Lane Soaps, in Clermont County.

The farm was chosen to represent Clermont County at this year’s Farm Science Review OSU Extension Women in Ag Team.

Annie’s Project was created by Ruth Hambleton, said Gigi Neal, OSU Extension, Clermont County, who, with Christine Kendle, OSU Extension, Tuscarawas County, co-leads the program in Ohio. Hambleton has since became an Extension educator in Illinois.

“It was named after her mother Annette, AKA Annie, after she saw what her mother was doing – taking care of the farm, the family, life in general,” Neal said.

“She saw that there was a need for other agricultural women to empower themselves to become better business partners and leaders within the agricultural community and within their own family enterprise.” 

Annie’s Project began in 2003, Neal said. It is a nationwide program, but not all states offer the course.

“It empowers women to have a greater role in the farm business,” Meyer said. “It teaches the ins and outs of farm management. It teaches them business skills so their farm is competitive, and that is where we want them to be.”

Cost for the workshop is $100 per person, which includes program materials and dinner at each class.

To register or for more information, contact Cindy Meyer at meyer.842@osu.edu or Kristen Corry at corry.10@osu.edu or reach them at the Butler County Extension office, 513-887-3722.