Women is Ag conference slated for early August

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Oklahoma’s Statewide Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference will take place Aug. 6-7 at the Moore-Norman Technology Center.

"For years, I couldn't see the need to attend a conference targeted at women. I'm a farmer, not a farm woman. But after 10 years of attending these conferences in Kansas and Oklahoma, I realize it is so much more,” said Karen Eifert-Jones, farmer from near Waukomis, Oklahoma. “I can get the information from other sources or conferences but what is unique at Women in Ag and Small Business is the camaraderie; the drive to build one another up; the excitement about someone else succeeding at their business."

Cost is $50 per participant if registering by Aug. 1 and $60 thereafter. Registration includes two breakfasts, two lunches, all refreshment breaks, conference materials and an optional post-conference training.

"There is so much value in this conference. For the price of a pair of shoes, I can spend a day and a half learning about my business and myself, making friends and slowing down enough to let my mind catch a new dream for my farm,” Eifert-Jones said. “It's sort of a one person business retreat for our operation."

Registration forms and additional information are available at http://www.OKWomeninAgandSmallBusiness.com, or by calling the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics at 405-744-9826.

The Moore-Norman Technology Center is located at 13301 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

A number of concurrent sessions will be offered during the conference. Sessions will focus on a variety of high-profile topics about agriculture, alternative enterprises and business and finance. Participants will be able to attend sessions of most interest and value to them.

“The conference is a great resource to learn the latest information on topics that empower women to solve issues and concerns of importance to them, their families and communities,” said Damona Doye, Regents professor in agricultural economics at OSU. “A particular strength of the conference is the ability of participants to personalize their experience.”

Keynote speakers are Carrie Mess of the popular “The Adventures of Dairy Carrie” blog and Marjorie Alaniz of the FarmHer project, which showcases women as the changing face of agriculture.

“Opportunities for informal networking between participants and interaction with conference experts often lead to personal and professional inspiration, ideas and solutions, as do the informational booths and women-owned businesses featured in the mini-mall,” Doye said.

The two-day event is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and numerous sponsors who have helped keep costs low to participants.

Post-conference training features will include the Farm Transition workshop led by Shannon Ferrell, agricultural economics associate professor at OSU, and a Made in Oklahoma workshop provided by Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, to share how agribusiness owners can get involved, membership criteria and option for MIO certification and eligibility.

"As a commodity crop producer, I always appreciate the opportunity to interact with specialty crop growers and value added operations, to better understand the segment of our customer base they serve,” Eifert-Jones said. “It helps me see what their customers value so we can highlight those features of our own farm."

Additional information is available at the website or by contacting Doye via email at damona.doye@okstate.edu or Sara Siems, project manager, at sara.siems@okstate.edu.