News Release Distributed 06/09/15
RUSTON, La. – Annie’s Project will host its sixth workshop for women in agriculture at Community Trust Bank’s community room located at 1511 North Trenton Street, Ruston.
The five-session workshop is scheduled for consecutive Thursday nights on July 9, 16, 23, 30 and August 6 from 5-8:30 p.m. A fee of $75 covers the five week course, including meals and supplies. The registration deadline is July 2.
Annie’s Project is a nationally recognized program designed to empower farm and ranch women to become better managers of their farming business, said retired LSU AgCenter agent Deborah Cross-Young, who is the volunteer statewide coordinator for Annie’s Project.
“Annie’s Project is very needed in Louisiana,” Cross-Young said. The program focuses on female farmers in the community and provides them with the tools and resources needed to make them successful, she said.
“The goal is to help women start their business from the beginning and transition it to the next generation,” Cross-Young said.
Topics presented at the workshop include risk assessments, human factors in farming, grain marketing, insurance for family and farm business, crop insurance, farm programs, farm transition planning, financial statement, farm tax issues and accounting, legal issues, retirement planning and business planning.
“The program makes the farmers successful and in turn benefits us as the consumer to get the best products possible,” Cross-Young said.
Supporting agencies for the Ruston workshop include the Trailblazer Resource Conservation and Development Council, the Capital Resource Conservation and Development Council, the Acadiana Resource Conservation and Development Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service and the LSU AgCenter.
LSU AgCenter agritourism coordinator Dora Ann Hatch will present information on agritourism, including benefits for a farmer or rancher, best management practices and how to prepare an agritourism plan for a farm or ranch operation.
To register, contact Cross-Young at dcross@agcenter.lsu.edu or 225-281-9470, or Olivia Ward at olivia@trailblazer.org or 318-255-3554.
Brandy Orlando