Officials with ISU Extension in Shelby County say a networking program that empowers women in agriculture to become better business partners and owners is being offered to area women, beginning Aug. 25th, in Harlan. “Annie’s Project” is a six-week course designed especially to help farm women develop their management and decision-making skills. Online registration is available at http://www.aep.iastate.edu or at the Shelby County office.

Farm women participating in Annie’s Project courses become better business partners and owners by learning to manage and organize critical information for their own farms, while establishing networks with other farm women and agriculture business professionals.  According to ISU Extension and Outreach farm specialist, Shane Ellis, Annie’s Project covers five areas of agricultural risk management: financial, human resources, legal, marketing and production.

According to a 2012 survey conducted by Iowa State Extension and Outreach, 47 percent of Iowa’s farmland is owned by women. Annie’s Project supports these women by providing an agricultural business education program that empowers farm women who want to be more knowledgeable about their agricultural enterprises.

The program will be held at the Shelby County Extension Office: August 25th, Sept. 1st, Sept. 8th, Sept. 15th, Sept. 22nd and Sept. 29th. They begin with a light supper at 5:45 p.m., followed by the program from 6-until 9-pm.

More than 33 states have implemented Annie’s Project sites since its inception in 2002. For more information, contact Amanda at 712-755-3104. Annie’s Project in Iowa is supported by Farm Credit Services of America and the USDA Risk Management Agency.