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Leveraging the Relationship for Education

Amy Durand and Terri Fast

Summary

Data from the most recent U.S. Census indicates more women are becoming sole operators of farms in our area. According to the USDA, “approximately 165,000 farms are run by women…economic factors indicate that the number will keep rising”. Through our AgStar Edge initiative, AgStar provides educational opportunities, guidance and development programs to help prepare female farmers for risk management, managing finances and educated decision making.
At AgStar we’ve always provided our clients with education and development opportunities designed to promote growth and improve profitability. Recently, we’ve expanded our efforts with AgStar Edge, our center for Education, Growth Development and Expertise. This comprehensive educational initiative is presented via multiple channels targeting specific segments of our audience.
Our Women in Agriculture programming offers a blog for women, workshops designed for women and a women’s cohort program in development. The topical areas of focus include record keeping, financial analysis, income statements and balance sheets, grain marketing, advocacy and global economics. Due to the geographic span of our service area, we offer the majority of our content online and via large events. Since our launch of the Women in Agriculture blog last May, content has increased over 376% and we have had over 5,000 views. One video went viral, and was picked up by agricultural news website. The focus of our 2014 Women’s Seminar, with attendance expected to exceed eleven-hundred women, is global agriculture economics and advocacy. AgStar is part of the Farm Credit System operating in sixty-nine counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Details

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