Purdue News
Purdue News
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January 7, 2004 Family, farming topics at Midwest Women in Ag ConferenceWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The third annual Midwest Women in Agriculture Conference features three keynote speakers and a host of sessions that tackle questions about farming, families and how to blend the two. The two-day event is scheduled for March 9-10 at the Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Ind., and is designed to support women in their roles on the farm and in their families. "One of our keynote speakers, Jane Eckert, really has the type of background that's going to be helpful for the women at this conference" said Mary Ann Lienhart-Cross, a Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service educator and one of the event's coordinators. "She's made her own family farm one of the most successful retail and entertainment farms in the country, and she's great at helping people see the potential in their own operation." This year Eckert, a direct farm marketing consultant and agritourism speaker from Illinois, Dr. Martin Jischke, president of Purdue University, and Dr. Bernie Erven, a professor of agricultural economics and Extension specialist from Ohio State University, will take the stage as keynote speakers. Eckert's presentation "Kitchen Table Communications," will cover running the farm, solutions and compromises, and communication, while keeping in perspective that many farm decisions are made at the kitchen table and not in the boardroom. Jischke's address will highlight Purdue partnerships in Indiana to build a better future for rural economies. His focus will be on Purdue's efforts to engage communities through Purdue Extension and other activities that strengthen rural areas. Erven will discuss the challenges of family farming and guidelines for top managers and members in family businesses in his presentation, "Farming Together as a Family." In addition to the keynote addresses, the workshop offers smaller sessions. This year's session topics include: • Managing conflict in a family business • Landscaping around the farm • New Ventures: Value-added agriculture • Fast and Easy answers to "What's for Dinner?" • Tax tips for farming • Investing • Insurance for the family farm • Pesticides • Farm marketing from scratch • Passing on the family farm Additional information about sessions and keynote addresses can be found online. "This year we're also going to have a pizza party and networking event at 5:30 on March 9 that will help the participants develop relationships and stay in touch after the conference is over," Lienhart-Cross said. Individuals can register for one or both days. Early registration rates are $65 for one day or $75 for both days. After Feb. 17, rates increase to $100 per day or $125 for both days. Registrations received after Feb. 24 are not guaranteed a meal. Participants must make their own hotel reservations. Rooms are available at Swan Lake Resort by calling (800) 582-7539. Conference room rates expire after Feb. 1. Registration brochures are available online or from Purdue Extension offices throughout Indiana. Writer: Kay Hagen, (765) 494-6682, kjh@purdue.edu Sources: Mary Ann Lienhart-Cross, (574) 533-0554, lienhart@purdue.edu Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu Related Web sites:
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