tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2 2008-04-24T19:02:00Z A place to share thoughts related to the Women's Agricultural Network(s). Movable Type 3.34 tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2.41 2008-04-24T18:56:12Z 2008-04-24T19:02:00Z

Scholarships and Stipends Available to Vermont Farm Women-Deadline May 5 The Vermont Farm Women's Fund (VFWF) is seeking applications for its first-ever round of scholarships and stipends to help women farmers improve their businesses and/or become more involved in agricultural...

Scholarships and Stipends Available to Vermont Farm Women-Deadline May 5 The Vermont Farm Women's Fund (VFWF) is seeking applications for its first-ever round of scholarships and stipends to help women farmers improve their businesses and/or become more involved in agricultural policy development. The application deadline is May 5, and grants will be capped at $750 per recipient. The goal of the fund is to provide women with financial assistance that is not readily available elsewhere. The fund is not geared to beginners, but it is unique in its focus on the particular needs of farm women. Approximately half of the state’s 6500 farms reported having at least one woman operator, according to the most recent Census of Agriculture. The census also shows that women often operate smaller farms and have lower farm earnings than their male counterparts. Many women also start farming as new entrants, and therefore may have different educational needs than people who come from farming backgrounds. The fund will make awards in two areas. Farm Business Development awards will provide support for education and travel to help recipients improve some aspect of their business. Leadership Development awards will help women farmers develop skills, access and opportunities to provide leadership in agricultural policy development. Examples include: new product development and research; feasibility studies; education in business management; and registration or tuition fees for leadership programs, seminars or institutes. Additionally, applicants may request funds to help defray associated travel, childcare, and replacement labor. The Vermont Farm Women's fund was established by Vermont author and photographer Peter Miller, who donated a percentage of the sales of his book Vermont Farm Women, to the fund. The fund has also received generous support from the Key Bank Foundation, Vermont Country Store, National Life, and individual donors. A panel of Vermont farm women will make award decisions based on applicant need and the strength of the application. The fund anticipates making three to five awards this spring, so it could be competitive. However, a second round of 2008 awards will be made in November. For more information, call Beth at 802-223-2389 or email wagn@uvm.edu. ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2.40 2008-04-11T22:57:51Z 2008-04-11T23:08:57Z

This panel of farmers shared with conference participants some insights into what women are looking for in education, technical assistance and strategies for how best to get information to them. Over 100 individuals from around the country participated in...

This panel of farmers shared with conference participants some insights into what women are looking for in education, technical assistance and strategies for how best to get information to them. Over 100 individuals from around the country participated in a 2-day conference in Oklahoma City, OK on April 1-2. There were a broad range of topics discussed at the conference. To view some of the presentations and download conference materials go to http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/conference/agenda.aspx?ConfID=5&Output=Sum The northeast was well represented at the conference with Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania all present. Apologies to any other states that I've omitted. ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2.39 2008-03-08T19:33:36Z 2008-03-08T19:38:52Z

When it come to risk management tools many small farms in the northeast find it difficult to qualify for traditional crop insurance programs. The AGR-lite insurance program may offer an opportunity since it is designed for smaller, diversified farm operations....

http://agecon.uwyo.edu/RightRisk/Courses/AGRLiteTraining/htmls/index.htm]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2.38 2008-02-28T16:38:55Z 2008-02-28T16:45:36Z

http://www.americasaves.org/ If you are a working woman in your 20’s, especially if you’ve recently entered the workforce for the first time, here’s some news that may surprise you. A well-financed secure retirement is your responsibility and the planning starts today....

http://www.americasaves.org/ If you are a working woman in your 20’s, especially if you’ve recently entered the workforce for the first time, here’s some news that may surprise you. A well-financed secure retirement is your responsibility and the planning starts today.
The truth is that older women today are almost twice as likely as men to be poor. Women live longer, but often end up with less income in retirement. If this trend is going to change then the spending and saving patterns of young women are going to have to change soon.
Here are some common myths about women and money. How many of these have been coloring your thinking?
Myth: There are more women than ever before working so we’ll be OK.
Truth: More women are now in the workforce, but women still earn less than men in almost every occupational classification. On average, women earn 73 cents for every dollar men earn. A typical 25-year-old woman with a college degree will earn about $523,000 less over her lifetime.
Myth: Poverty rates are declining so we won’t have to worry
Truth: Despite the overall decline in poverty rates among older Americans during the last several decades, many older women remain poor – a staggering 87% of the elderly poor are women.
Myth: Social Security amounts will be adjusted to meet my expenses
Truth: Ninety percent of older women receive Social Security and over half of these women would be in poverty if not for Social Security. But Social Security is designed to be a supplemental safety net—it won’t stretch to provide the extra’s that can make retirement so rewarding.
Myth: I’ll have a pension to fall back on
Truth: Because women switch jobs more often, they have a greater chance of forfeiting their pension benefits. 53% of women have no pension coverage. In addition, women are more likely to receive and spend their retirement lump-sum benefits for everyday expenses or for their children’s education leaving nothing for their own needs.
Myth: I’m Young—I have years to work and save
Truth: The average woman will lose over $650,000 in earnings, missed promotions, raises, and benefits as a result of caregiving responsibilities over their lifetime. Young working women are spending more than they earn—almost half of young women ages 21-34 had credit card debt in 2000 which limits their ability to save. 53% of single young women said they were living paycheck to paycheck.
Myth: My Husband’s/Partner's Income Will Make up the Difference
Truth: Today, nearly 60 percent of older American women are either widowed, divorced, separated, or never married. Almost 1 in 4 women are broke within two months of a husband passing away. Over 75% of all women are eventually widowed at an average age of 56. Just over one in four divorced women collect pension benefits from their former spouses. Divorced women with children are more likely to cash out their retirement to pay for family living expenses.
If you want to arrive at retirement with a comfortable financial plan here’s some good advice: • Open a personal investment account and get financial advice on how to grow your investment.
• Join your company’s retirement plan as soon as you’re eligible and contribute as much as you can. Find out if your employer offers a pension plan and what the requirements are for participation
• Don’t count on a husband, an inheritance or any other source that you aren’t directly in control of.
• Never use your retirement savings as the family piggy bank, and
• If you go through a divorce, get some financial advice based on your new status.
Starting early is key to a financially secure retirement. Start today!
]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2.37 2008-02-15T14:25:22Z 2008-02-15T14:26:46Z

Marketing Value-added Products: Where do I sell all this stuff? Are you considering adding a value-added product to your agricultural business? Want to learn what makes one value-added product a cash generator and another product a money pit? Join...

Marketing Value-added Products: Where do I sell all this stuff? Are you considering adding a value-added product to your agricultural business? Want to learn what makes one value-added product a cash generator and another product a money pit? Join eXtension's Entrepreneurs and Their Communities team for an online workshop on Wednesday, March 26 from 1:30-2:30 (EST). Our topic will be Marketing Value-added Products: Where do I sell all this stuff? Our presenter for this session will be Ginger S. Myers, Regional Extension Marketing Specialist with Maryland Cooperative Extension. Ginger has over 25 years of experience in agri-business and small farm production. She has worked as an agricultural marketing specialist in Maryland since 1999. Please help us to spread the word about this session. No pre-registration is required and there is no fee to participate. About 10 minutes prior to the start time simply go the Adobe Connect Pro meeting room at http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/ecop/. You will be presented with a login screen that has an "Enter as Guest" option. Enter your first name, last name and state, then click "Enter Room" to join the conference. To hear the audio of the workshop and participate in the Q&A portion of the workshop we will be using a built-in teleconferencing capability of Adobe’s Connect Pro conferencing software. Once you log into the meeting you will be presented with the option to enter your call-back number, your phone will automatically be called. After entering your number you will be automatically called and joined into the audio portion of the Web conference on your phone. Newcomers to online learning are welcome! We're all learning this together. ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2.36 2008-01-31T14:34:22Z 2008-01-31T14:43:58Z

It seems like from January through mid-March there is one great conference, workshop and/or association meeting after another. I guess you could spend every weekend learning something and if you add in all the new online courses you could probably...

It seems like from January through mid-March there is one great conference, workshop and/or association meeting after another. I guess you could spend every weekend learning something and if you add in all the new online courses you could probably make learning a full-time activity during the winter months. And somehow everything seems both affordable and worthwhile. I always learn something at every program I attend. Probably the best part of all these activities is getting to touch base with friends that I don't see often otherwise. There are about 6-8 folks that I see every year at the NOFA-VT conference -- I don't see them at any other time but that once a year opportunity is enough to fuel our friendship for the entire year in between. Strange...huh. Anyway, I hope you find time to take advantage of the many opportunities that are still available in this learning season. It's a great time to reflect on changes that you might make in your business...And of course checking in with old friends. tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2.35 2008-01-11T17:09:26Z 2008-01-11T18:48:06Z

The photo has nothing to do with the topic...I just like it! If you're starting to think about your taxes you might want to take a look at the IRS website. They have done alot to improve their site...

The photo has nothing to do with the topic...I just like it! If you're starting to think about your taxes you might want to take a look at the IRS website. They have done alot to improve their site and many of their publications are now available for downloading. The Farmers' Tax Guide is available at http://www.irs.gov/publications/p225/index.html For small businesses and self-employment, check out http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/ For a list of all the publications available check out http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2.34 2008-01-04T12:17:06Z 2008-01-11T18:48:35Z

One of the most common requests we get from new farmers is about the availability of grants to start businesses. The fact is that there are a few grant programs available to farmers and small business owners but, for...

One of the most common requests we get from new farmers is about the availability of grants to start businesses. The fact is that there are a few grant programs available to farmers and small business owners but, for the most part, success in the application process requires experience and the funds are not for startup. What is a grant? A grant is money that is given for a specific purpose. Grant funds do not have to repaid unless the provisions of the grant are violated but grants are not free money. There are strings attached to grant funds. Normally there is a fairly rigorous application process which requires careful preparation and planning. The competition for grant funds can be stiff and only a small fraction of applications get funded. Once funds are awarded there is usually a reporting and accountability process that can be fairly time-consuming. If you are interested in raising money to start a new agricultural business you might be better off spending your time and energy writing a compelling business plan that clearly spells out what you will be producing, who your customers will be, how much you will sell and at what price. When you have all that information pulled together you will be able to determine whether or not the business idea is feasible. If the business is a feasible venture you might be better off either raising investment capital from family and friends or borrowing the money from a lender. In general, grants are not a good source of startup financing. ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2008:/wagn//2.33 2008-01-02T13:43:55Z 2008-01-11T18:49:25Z

The Women's Agricultural Network would like to extend a sincere Happy New Year to all of you. We wish you a prosperous, healthy and productive year. Thank you for all you do to keep our landscape working. We'd also...

The Women's Agricultural Network would like to extend a sincere Happy New Year to all of you. We wish you a prosperous, healthy and productive year. Thank you for all you do to keep our landscape working. We'd also like to encourage you to complete the USDA 2007 Census of Agriculture. The forms were mailed last week and should be arriving in your mailbox soon. The Census of Agriculture is the responsibility of every farmer and rancher, regardless of the size or type of operation. For Census purposes, a farm is any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year. This year for the first time you can complete the census online. Look for instructions along with the passcode inside your form. If you do not receive a form you can request one at https://www.agcounts.usda.gov/cgi-bin/counts The deadline for completing the census is February 4, 2008. ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2007:/wagn//2.32 2007-12-21T13:24:17Z 2008-01-11T18:49:49Z

The Women's Agricultural Network wishes all a very happy holiday season. The office will be closed between Christmas and New Year's Day but we will be back on January 2 ready for a packed winter education season....

The Women's Agricultural Network wishes all a very happy holiday season. The office will be closed between Christmas and New Year's Day but we will be back on January 2 ready for a packed winter education season. ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2007:/wagn//2.31 2007-12-13T15:45:03Z 2007-12-13T15:51:03Z

A course starting in January 2008 will provide new and experienced farmers with the tools to develop agricultural business plans to start or grow their businesses. Tilling the Soil of Opportunity is designed for farmers thinking about a new agricultural...

Tilling the Soil of Opportunity is designed for farmers thinking about a new agricultural venture, whether it be to diversify their current operation or as a start-up business. To that end, participants will assess their resources, develop marketing strategies, understand financials, learn how and where to get funding for their businesses, and network with other farmers. The course runs from January until late March. It will be offered on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. in White River Junction (starting on January 9) and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Middlebury (starting on January 12). As a new addition, the course will also be offered on-line with three in-person meetings in Burlington (starting on January 5). Instructors for the course include Vermont Small Business Development Center business specialists Steve Paddock and Pat Travers, as well as University of Vermont Extension specialists Dennis Kauppila, Mary Peabody and Glenn Rogers. The course will also feature farmers, lenders and other agricultural professionals who will share their experiences with participants. Pre-registration is required as space is limited. The fee is $395 per person ($50 for a second person from the same farm) and includes all materials. Please register by December 21, 2007. A check or money order reserves your space at the course. To register, send your check, made payable to Vermont Food Venture Center, to: Tilling the Soil of Opportunity, UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 63 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405. Payment by credit card is also available. Scholarship assistance is available from the Vermont Small Business Development Center to participants who meet certain income guidelines. A course brochure can be found on-line at www.uvm.edu/landlinkvt. Questions about the course should be directed to Deb Heleba at debra.heleba@uvm.edu or (802) 656-0233. “Tilling the Soil of Opportunity” participants have found the course valuable for a number of reasons. One past participant said, “The course gave a lot of information I did not know [in order] to start my business, it was all very helpful.” Another found the guest speakers and resources to be helpful. “I got to know some very resourceful local people that will share their knowledge continually to help me be more successful.” Still another enjoyed the networking aspect of the course. “I liked the opportunity to network with everybody. I made some very valuable connections amongst the students.” “Tilling the Soil of Opportunity” course was developed by NxLevel™, a national clearinghouse for groups involved in assisting businesses and promoting community and economic development. The course is sponsored by the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, UVM Extension, Vermont Food Venture Center, Vermont Small Business Development Center, and Women’s Agricultural Network. ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2007:/wagn//2.30 2007-12-13T15:33:51Z 2007-12-13T15:44:47Z

WAgN will offer two on-line sessions of Growing Places, a non-credit, pre-business planning course. Growing Places is designed for people who are considering starting or expanding an agriculturally based business but aren't sure where to start. The on-line format is...

Growing Places, a non-credit, pre-business planning course. Growing Places is designed for people who are considering starting or expanding an agriculturally based business but aren't sure where to start. The on-line format is designed to serve people for whom travel time, family and work commitments make participation in an in-person class difficult. The course is instructor-led and includes lots of interaction (via email) with other students. But it allows more flexibility in terms of exactly when and where you do it. It is open to anyone, although people with slower Internet connections or who are uncomfortable with written communication may prefer the classroom setting (which will be offered later in 2008). The first winter session of Growing Places Online will start the first week of January. The other will start the first week of February. Both sessions will run for approximately six weeks. Students generally spend between 2-4 hours per week on-line working on the course. Tuition, including materials is $125, but there is a $25 discount for people who register by December 10 for the January session and January 9 for the February session. Registration is open, and a registration form can be downloaded from WAgN’s website at www.uvm.edu/wagn. For more information about the course, visit http://www.uvm.edu/wagn/growingp.html or call Beth Holtzman at 802-223-2389x15. Limited scholarship assistance is available. ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2007:/wagn//2.29 2007-11-12T14:25:53Z 2007-11-12T14:33:05Z

Run Date: 11/11/07 By Melinda Tuhus WeNews correspondent Female farmers are seeking advice from an agricultural organization that helps them succeed in a male-dominated field. One woman who was told she couldn't do it 30 years ago is plucking her...

"We process them all in one day, and weigh and bag them the next day and put them in a walk-in cooler," she says. "We want to do it as humanely and cleanly as possible and get the very best product to our customers." It's a communal endeavor, she says, almost like a barn-raising. "We have a lot of friends come and bring food and we put on the music. We have more people wanting to do it than we have stations. Everybody becomes an expert at their station." The process includes killing the birds by hanging them upside down in stainless steel cones and cutting their jugular veins, then sending them through an electric scalder followed by a motorized plucker. Almost 30 years ago, Proft began building her farm on a small piece of the 120 acres her family has owned for generations near the top of mountain in southwestern Vermont. In 1978, she contacted the state Agricultural Extension Service--which gives technical assistance to farmers and livestock producers--to ask someone to look at the land and give her advice on farming it. "And so this guy came up and said, 'Well, Scout, you can't do it. This doesn't look like a farm, and besides, you're a woman,'" Proft recalled. "And out the door he walked. Well, that just gave me impetus." Clearing Land, Growing Organic Proft started clearing land, and when she later married, the couple established an organic, diversified farming operation on just a few acres. They now have five children, ages 9 to 20, who have been home-schooled and who work on the farm. Proft plans to sell the family's organically fed birds locally for just under $3 a pound. And though that is a lot pricier than the 89 cents to $1.29 a pound consumers pay for their heavy-breasted kin raised in industrial facilities and fed grain laced with antibiotics, Proft says, "Ninety-nine percent of our customers come back year after year because of taste." Besides turkeys, the Profts raise hundreds of chickens, ducks and geese; produce honey; and grow vegetables, herbs and flowers. The farm is their only source of income, which allows them to just "squeak by" financially, Proft says with a laugh. Proft laments that no one gave her any encouragement when she started out, which is one of the reasons she values the Women's Agricultural Network. She says it was "a great honor" to be invited in 1994 to be a founding board member of the group based in Berlin, Vt., that now provides the kind of technical advice and encouragement to women that Proft wished she'd gotten years ago. "It's been fantastic. They've really provided women of all ages with support and research and workshops on how to do agriculture on a very small scale all the way up to a very large scale, and empowered them, really." She adds that the group has also helped her with long-term planning, "how big to become, how diverse, and which markets to pursue." A July meeting of the group's Connecticut branch drew in a woman who sells blueberries from her 3,000 bushes and another who raises goats and makes cheese. Responding to Unmet Need Mary Peabody, a community economic development specialist with the University of Vermont Extension Service, started the network in 1994 with a small grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She saw an unmet need among the farm women she came into contact with. "When I went to farm meetings and workshops, a lot of men would come, and a few women," she says, "but they tended not to ask a lot of questions. But when I went to visit farms, I found the women very engaged in operating the farm and they had lots of questions. So I could take away from that that women weren't getting all the education and technical assistance that they really needed and wanted." Since its founding, the network has grown to about 5,000 members, centered in the Northeast but with contacts in every state, as well as in Canada and Mexico. In many parts of the world, agriculture is dominated by women. Although that's not true in the United Sates, the numbers are growing. U.S. Department of Agriculture data show 237,819 women are principal operators of farms, and 1,000 of them are in Vermont. Nationally the number of female farmers increased 13.5 percent between 1997 and 2002. The next figures will be released in 2008. Farming for Business and Family Peabody says about half of the network's members work their farms as single women or as women whose domestic partners are not involved in the business. Another third farm with partners and make decisions together, like Proft and her husband. A smaller number are what Peabody calls traditional farm wives. "They're involved in some aspect of the operation but are not the primary decision-maker. And the reason they get involved with us is that they can see down the road where they may very well inherit this farm and they want some counseling and some education around what their choices would be at that point." Peabody adds, "In our 10 years we've helped improve the financial viability of just over 500 farm businesses, and helped another 600 farms make informed decisions about their business, ranging from whether to start one, to diversify, or get out of business." Peabody says the network defines farming very broadly to encompass any business that includes food or fiber or natural resource use. She says many women who want to farm did not grow up farming, so they often don't know about resources and networks that are available to them. Also, most women have smaller body frames and less upper body strength than men, so finding tools that fit them and learning how to use them without causing physical injury is a challenge. In addition to farmers, the network serves women in related markets. Jane Maher, for instance, joined the network earlier this year. She owns Snooty Foods in Oxford, Conn., which produces a variety of organic dips and spreads, which she sells as far away as Boston. "I started my business in 2004," she says, "with one product: my garlic herb butter. It's something I'd always made for my family and people loved it." She says the network offers "a way to stay connected with women who are going the same direction I am, and to keep up with what's going on with legislation at the state and national levels that promotes local and sustainable agriculture." Melinda Tuhus is an independent journalist in Hamden, Conn. She writes often about food issues. For more information: Women's Agricultural Network: http://www.uvm.edu/~wagn/ USDA Farm Service Agency, Women Outreach Program: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=oued&topic=ops-wn Women's Agricultural Community: http://www.safs.msu.edu/womenag/aboutus/us.htm ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2007:/wagn//2.28 2007-11-05T14:43:13Z 2007-11-05T16:09:58Z

Over 200 participants at Senator Leahy's 11th Annual Women's Economic Opportunity Conference got their day off to a healthy start with locally produced yogurt, granola and breakfast breads. The Women's Agricultural Network sponsored the breakfast for the second year....

Over 200 participants at Senator Leahy's 11th Annual Women's Economic Opportunity Conference got their day off to a healthy start with locally produced yogurt, granola and breakfast breads. The Women's Agricultural Network sponsored the breakfast for the second year. The granola was produced by Jenn Colby (Howling Wolf Farm, 802-728-2045) , the breakfast breads were baked by Ginny Cleland, Four Springs Farm & Buttermilk Bakery http://www.fourspringsfarm.com/index.php. And the yogurt was Vermont's own Butterworks Farm, http://www.butterworksfarm.com/. One participant remarked, "Thank you so much! This is a great idea...and really tasty". Other comments included, "wow, this is awesome" and "where can you buy this great yogurt?". ]]> tag:mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu,2007:/wagn//2.24 2007-10-31T17:26:06Z 2007-10-31T18:30:47Z

Saturday's rain did not dampen the spirits of the 12 individuals that completed the 18-hour Growing Places class in Middlebury, VT. These individuals came together to explore the feasibility of starting or expanding an agricultural business. The class, which addresses...

Growing Places class in Middlebury, VT. These individuals came together to explore the feasibility of starting or expanding an agricultural business. The class, which addresses topics such as goal-setting, decision-making, resource evaluation, financial planning, and marketing is offered several times each year in both classroom settings and in an online format. To learn more about Growing Places go to the Women's Agricultural Network website and follow the links for Growing Places. The highlight of the Middlebury class was a farm visit to Orb Weaver Farm in New Haven. Marjorie answers questions from prospective farmers about the realities of owning and operating a farm. In addition to a farmstead cheese, Orb Weaver is also a certified organic vegetable farm producing a variety of vegetables for the Addison County region. Most of the vegetables are sold through the Middlebury Coop. The cheese cave at Orb Weaver Farm where some of the farmstead cheese produced by Majorie and Marian goes to be aged. ]]>