Completed Project Report


Iowa Missouri Womens Risk Management Education

  • Award Amount: $31,267
  • Regional Center: North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2007 Competitive Grant Program
  • Project Director: Bob Wells
  • Email: wellsjb@iastate.edu
  • Organization: Mahaska County Agriculture Extension District

Extension RME Regional Centers
Extension Risk Management Education Region Map

Project Overview

Annie’s Project coordinates educational processes encompassing a practical, broad vision of farm business management. It targets relevant subjects promoting group dynamics through developing support networks. Annie’s Project concentrates on providing farm management education in five risk management areas, (1) production, (2) marketing, (3) financial, (4) legal and (5) human resources.

During six three hour sessions, extension specialists and a team of subject matter practitioners deliver core components. Documented outcomes and impacts include farm women increasing their knowledge, skills and abilities in risk management. Participants also gain confidence in their decision making abilities becoming better farm business partners. As the success of the program spreads, risk management education funds continue to be needed to offset a portion of the program cost. The 2007-08 objective is to offer 25 Annie’s Project workshops enrolling 575 participants and increase participant enrollments in advanced Annie’s Project classes.

Annie’s Project provides participants the opportunity to learn from business specialist and each other. Participants receive three computer software programs, FAST Tools, Ag Decision Maker and FINPAK Business plan, aiding them in organizing farm records, making critical management decisions, and plan future scenarios. Farm women learn how to keep accurate, useful financial records, learn about marketing commodities and plan for future transitions between generations. Other programs, determined by class evaluations, have evolved from Annie’s Project and include Women Marketing Grain, Financial Record Keeping for Farm Women and Training for Executors of Farm Estates.

Annie’s Project is now offered in nineteen states through a network of state coordinators facilitated by Iowa State Univeristy Extension. To date 1995 farm business partners, including 946 Iowa and Missouri farm women, have benefited from Annie’s Project. Additionally, USDA has made it a priority to count female farm operators in the 2007 Census of Agriculture and with Annie’s Project’s documented success this program is positioned to become a key provider of risk management education for women farm operators.

Number of Participants: 682

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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