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Conducting a Targeted Agricultural Education Program for Texas High Plains Women

DeDe Jones

Summary

According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, women are involved in 58% of all U.S. farming and ranching operations. They play a vital role in the success of many agricultural entities by performing tasks such as driving combines, branding cattle, commodity marketing, and bookkeeping. However, despite these important contributions, female farmers and ranchers rarely have targeted educational programs or the opportunity to network with producers of similar backgrounds. To address this deficiency, Texas Panhandle Extension specialists conducted a workshop series called Annie’s Project. This program is a nationally recognized course designed to empower women through education, relationships, and resources.

The class ran one day a week for six weeks and focused on five areas of risk management: financial, human resource, legal, marketing, and production. Each session featured multiple speakers, 75% of whom were women. Overall, twenty-three producers attended Annie’s Project. Ages ranged from 21 to 73 years old, with a combined 319 years of agricultural experience. The women owned or managed 62,175 acres, growing crops such as corn, wheat, cotton, potatoes, and hay. They also oversaw 5,268 head of livestock that included sheep, cattle, and poultry. Post workshop evaluations showed that participants enjoyed the class and increased their knowledge levels by over 46%. In the closing comments, attendees said meeting other women and industry speakers was an experience they will always value. As a result of the program’s success, more classes are planned throughout the region to reach a greater number of this underserved, yet vital group of agricultural producers.

Details

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