| PROJECT SUMMARY |
| This proposed submission has benefited from input from key farm women in Alabama who met earlier in 2006 to assess the possibility of initiating a project in Alabama modeled after Nebraska´s "Annie´s Project." This was at the request of SRRMEC. However, this is a basic women-in-agriculture project which is in response to the expressed need by Alabama farm women. The proposed training will equip these women with knowledge and information that will allow them to make informed production and marketing decisions. They will be able to integrate risk or farm management tools and strategies into their production, marketing, financial and legal decisions. Thus, the overall goal in this project is to assist Alabama farm women and their families enhance farm profitability and become more involved in agribusiness and agricultural entrepreneurship and cooperative development initiatives. Specifically, this project will (1) assemble risk management education training modules in areas of need and conduct a series of informational or awareness sessions/focus groups to gather more in-depth information related to the needs of Alabama women engaged in production agriculture and/or starting an agriculture-related business; (2) convene a state-wide two-day Alabama Women-in-Agriculture conference consisting of at least 10 sessions covering various types of risk and risk management strategies including crop insurance, sustainable production, marketing, financial, legal, human resources and production risks, etc.; and (3) conduct two targeted one-day intensive training workshops in key areas of risk management, computers and recordkeeping, business planning, estate planning, entrepreneurship and cooperative development, value-added agriculture, niche marketing, farm financial analysis, and other areas of need. These objectives will be accomplished through close collaboration with partners included with this submission. |
| NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 600 |
| TOPICS COVERED |
| Product and enterprise diversification |
| Marketing strategies, plans and clubs |
| Plans and tools to address succession, estate planning, health, and well being |
| Tools for managing legal liability |
| Understanding of economic risks associated with new production technologies |
| Business and strategic planning |
