It’s the start of a new year and Ohio State University Extension has plenty of educational opportunities for you to take advantage of to learn new information and improve your business. Take a few minutes to read about two exciting program offerings.
Women in agriculture
Annie’s Project, a risk management program for women in agriculture, is being offered throughout Ohio over the next three months.
Annie’s Project is a six-part course designed to strengthen women’s role in modern farm enterprises.
The project’s namesake was a woman who grew up in a small rural community and spent her adult life learning how to be an involved, successful business partner with her husband.
Annie’s Project:
Morgan County: Jan. 25 – March 1; contact Chris Penrose at 740-962-4854.
Auglaize County: Jan. 28 – March 4; contact Lois Clark at 419-738-2219.
Wyandot County: Feb. 1 – March 8; contact Chris Bruynis at 419-294-4931.
Ross County: Feb. 2 – March 9; contact Dave Mangione at 740-702-3200.
Defiance County: Feb. 2 – 18; contact Barb Rohrs at 419-782-4771.
Ashtabula County: Feb. 6 and Feb. 11 – March 4; contact David Abbey Averill at 440-567-9008.
Stark County: Feb. 9 – March 16; contact Maureen Austin at 330-830-7700.
Fairfield County: Feb. 9 – March 16; contact Cora French-Robinson at 740-653-5419.
Program developer
Annie’s daughter, Ruth Hambleton, became an Extension educator in Illinois and developed the program in 2000 in honor of her mother’s life experience.
The program is for women who live and work in a complex, dynamic farm business environment, and it focuses on five broad aspects of risk typical in the agricultural setting: human, financial, marketing, production and legal.
Lessons
Session topics include family and business communication, financial statements, retirement issues, basics of marketing, crop and personal insurance and loan programs.
This year, thanks to new collaborations with the Ohio Farm Bureau, Ag Credit, Farm Credit Services of Mid-America and the USDA Farm Service Agency, OSU Extension is offering 12 Annie’s Project workshops in areas around the state.
Registration cost is $65, which includes materials and meals or refreshments.
Transferring farm
If you are interested in learning how to transfer your farm business to the next generation, you will want to make plans to attend one of the upcoming transition and succession planning workshops being held across the state.
These workshops will provide you with important information to assist with a smooth transition of your business.
Seminar topics include mission, vision and goals of the business, developing leadership in the next generation of managers, retirement and estate planning and family communication and family business meetings.
Legal issues related to wills and letters of instruction, available business structures and estate planning will be taught by an attorney.
Dates to remember
Workshop dates and locations include:
• Erie County: March 11; 419-668-8219 for registration information.
• Defiance County: March 15 and 18; 419-782-4771 for registration information.
• Muskingum County: March 16 and 23; 740-454-0144 for registration information.
• Ashtabula County: March 22 and 29; 440-576-9008 for registration information.
• Tuscarawas County: March 23 and 24;330-339-2337 for registration information.
• Clermont County: March 25 and 26; 513-732-7070 for registration information.
I hope 2010 proves to be a happy and successful year for you and your business. Please be sure to contact me if I can be of any assistance.
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