WSU conference brings women in agriculture together to network and learn

On Saturday, October 27, the 2018 Women in Agriculture Conference will offer women in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Alaska a unique opportunity to gather in 34 different locations for a one-day event featuring knowledgeable speakers, inspiring stories, networking with other producers and practical advice for learning new skills.

This year’s event, “Pump Up Your Financial Fitness” covers the topic of strengthening your farm operation with a healthy cash flow. Locally, the conference will be held at the WSU Extension office in Ritzville located at 205 W. Main. Visit the website at http://www.womeninag.wsu.edu for details about the conference and registration.

The financial management of an agricultural business often takes a back seat to the production aspects of the operation, but it matters how you manage your cash flow to be successful as a farmer, according to WSU Douglas & Chelan County Extension Director and chair of the conference, Margaret Viebrock. Learning and using strategies to project and manage the cash flow will make a difference in farm sustainability.

This interactive and engaging conference will motivate women in agriculture to become better financial managers. The format of this conference enables us to offer our headline speakers at all locations, while still tailoring the conference content for each region, Viebrock added.

“Last year, nearly 600 women attended,” said Viebrock. “Many attendees reported it is the best conference for women producers because it presents practical information they can use right away.”

The lineup for the day includes Robin Reid, farm economist and LaVell Winsor, farm analyst, both with Kansas State University. Both speakers are also farmers and understand the importance of sound record keeping. Conference participants will leave with the best strategies to start projections for next year, know how to monitor cash flow against actual income, manage family living expenses and the record keeping tools.

Sarah Beth Aubrey, author, farmer and owner of Aubrey Coaching and Training, will provide the tools to help women be successful and profitable doing “what they love most.” Her message is about new ways to prioritize and balance the work between, farming, family and personal time. Her ideas for encouraging young women to farm and how to develop the management skills with women you employ are most valuable for continued farming success.

Each location will have a local panel of women farmers who have been successful in their financial management methods. They will explain their best financial strategies and how they bring balance to their daily jobs and responsibilities.

This conference is designed for women who are farming, as well as new and aspiring farmers. Supporting spouses, students, interns or people who own an agriculture-related business are also welcome. Financial lenders can learn the best practices for financial management.

The conference registration fee is $35. The conference registration fee includes the workshop, light breakfast, lunch and conference materials.