2012 Women in Agriculture Educators National Conference.

In Her Boots: Reaching Out to Women in Sustainable

Agriculture

2012 Women in Agriculture Educators National Conference

Speaker IntrosLisa Kivirist, MOSES Rural Women’s Project; Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B Leigh Adcock, Women, Food & Agriculture Network (WFAN)Jan Joannides, Renewing the CountrysideBeth Osmund, Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm

Agenda:National Trends: Leigh

Program Examples: Leigh & Lisa

Young & Beginning Farmers: Jan

Success Stories: Lisa

Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm: Beth

Outreach Tips

National Trends: Who are Women in Farming Today

30.2% of the farm operators counted were women – that’s more than 1 million.

Up 19% from 2002, compared to 7% increase in farmers overall.

Principal operators of 14% of US farms. That’s up 30% to 306,209.

* 2007 US Census of Agriculture


Diversified farms

Smaller farms than men

More likely to own all their farmland

Average sales $36,440 compared to $150,671



Mostly white, 40s and 50s

Highest number in NE and SW

More women than men raise: vegetables, fruit & nuts, horticulture (flowers & herbs), “other” crops, poultry, sheep and goats, and other livestock


National Trends: Programs & Support

1997 • Celebrating 15 Years • 2012

WFAN supports women in agriculture and food systems

Membership over 2,100 todayNewsletter, e-bulletins, Facebook, Twitter, listserv

National Trends: Programs &

Support



Women Caring for the Land conservation learning circles for women farmland owners


Harvesting Our PotentialSM on-farm apprenticeships for beginning farmers

National Trends: Programs &

Support


Rural Women’s Project, Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)


Rural Women’s Project key elements

• In Her Boots:

Sustainable Agriculture For Women,

By Women


Rural Women’s Project key elements

• Media Support

• Over $20,000 value generated in 2011


Strong Program Cross-Pollination:

• Plate to Politics (RWP, WFAN & White House Project)

• Women Caring for the Land

• Wisconsin Women, Food & Agriculture Network

• RTC Agritourism Training

• Young Organic Stewards

Young & Beginning Farmers

Two Categories of Young Farmers

1) Those from farm families2) Those from non-farm families


Those from Farm Families may be

Discouraged by parents to farm

Discouraged to innovate

Belittled by community

Lacking management experience


Challenges for those from Non-Farm Families

Farmland access

Gaining relevant experience

Access to capital

Stigma of the outsider


Risk Management Strategies

Train communities

Tap into supportive networks

Tap into training opportunities

Explore innovative financing

Success Stories

Kim Marsin & Rachel Reklau (Sweet Home Organics, IL)

Success Stories

Adrienne Fox (Powerkraut, WI)

Success Stories

Liz Brensinger & Ann Adams (Green Heron Tools, PA)

Success Stories

Jordan Champagne (Happy Girl Kitchen, CA)

Success Stories

Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B (Wisconsin)

Success Stories

Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm (Ottawa, IL)

Cedar Valley Sustainable

Farm• Moved back to family-owned land in 2003 to begin farming.

• Began a vegetable CSA, then created IL first meat CSA.

• On-the-job learning!

• The farm has supported our family of 5 since 2006.

• Working on arranging innovative financing to purchase land.

Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm

Relationships Are Key

• CRAFT

• Angelic Organic Learning Center

• Michael Fields Agricultural Institute

• Illinois Stewardship Alliance

• CSA members

• "Greenfarmers"

Outreach Tips

1. Attend a organic & sustainable ag conference• MOSES, EcoFarm, PASA, SAWG

Outreach Tips

2. Visit area farms

Outreach Tips

3. Seek out organizations & programs in your state: Farm Beginnings, CRAFT, Annie’s Project, fruit & vegetable growers association, state certified organic list

4. Read research on outreach to women farmers:http://agsci.psu.edu/wagn/research

http://agsci.psu.edu/wagn/research

Outreach Tips

7. Direct mail, Community Newspapers, Radio & TV, Organizational newsletters & listserves

8. Overlay with existing programming

Thanks & keep in touch!Lisa KiviristMOSES Rural Women’s ProjectInn Serendipity Farm and B&Bwww.mosesorganic.orgwww.innserendipity.comLisa@innserendipity.com

Leigh AdcockWomen, Food & Agriculture Network (WFAN)[email protected]

Jan JoannidesRenewing the [email protected]

Beth OsmundCedar Valley Sustainable [email protected]

http://www.mosesorganic.org/

http://www.innserendipity.com/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.wfan.org/


http://www.renewingthecountryside.org/


http://www.cedarvalleysustainable.com/


2012 Women in Agriculture Educators National Conference.

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