Transcript In Her Boots

2012 Women in Agriculture Educators
National Conference
Lisa Kivirist, MOSES Rural Women’s Project; Inn
Serendipity Farm and B&B
 Leigh Adcock, Women, Food & Agriculture Network
(WFAN)
 Jan Joannides, Renewing the Countryside
 Beth Osmund, Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm


National Trends: Leigh

Program Examples: Leigh & Lisa

Young & Beginning Farmers: Jan

Success Stories: Lisa

Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm: Beth

Outreach Tips
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
* 2007 US Census of Agriculture

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

* 2007 US Census of Agriculture
1997 • Celebrating 15 Years • 2012
WFAN supports women in agriculture and food systems


Membership over 2,100 today
Newsletter, e-bulletins, Facebook, Twitter, listserv
WFAN supports women in agriculture and food systems
Women Caring for the Land conservation
learning circles for women farmland owners

WFAN supports women in agriculture and food systems
Harvesting Our PotentialSM on-farm apprenticeships
for beginning farmers

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
Two Categories of Young Farmers
1) Those from farm families
2) 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
Kim Marsin & Rachel Reklau (Sweet Home Organics, IL)
Adrienne Fox (Powerkraut, WI)
Liz Brensinger & Ann Adams (Green Heron Tools, PA)
Jordan Champagne (Happy Girl Kitchen, CA)
Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B (Wisconsin)
Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm (Ottawa, IL)
•
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.
Relationships Are Key
• CRAFT
• Angelic Organic Learning Center
• Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
• Illinois Stewardship Alliance
• CSA members
• "Greenfarmers"
1. Attend a organic & sustainable ag conference
• MOSES, EcoFarm, PASA, SAWG
2. Visit area farms
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
7. Direct mail, Community Newspapers, Radio &
TV, Organizational newsletters & listserves
8. Overlay with existing programming
Lisa Kivirist
MOSES Rural Women’s Project
Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B
www.mosesorganic.org
www.innserendipity.com
[email protected]
Leigh Adcock
Women, Food & Agriculture Network (WFAN)
www.wfan.org
[email protected]
Jan Joannides
Renewing the Countryside
www.renewingthecountryside.org
[email protected]
Beth Osmund
Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm
www.cedarvalleysustainable.com
[email protected]