January 2007

"Women in Agriculture: Pocketing ‘Change' for Posterity", a daylong conference scheduled for February 9 in Sidney, is designed to help farm women improve farm management skills and assume more responsibility in family farm operations.The conference will be at the Sidney Holiday Inn, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending by 4 p.m.

The conference is sponsored by area financial institutions, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the South Platte Natural Resources District.

Information and registration forms are available from Karen DeBoer, UNL Extension in Cheyenne County, 920 Jackson Street, P.O. Box 356, Sidney, NE 69162, phone 308-254-4455 or toll-free 866-865-1703. Early registration by Feb. 2 is $20, which includes lunch and coffee breaks. After Feb. 2, the cost is $25.

Session topics will include farm economics and marketing, legal issues, fashion, personal development, and others.

The first session, presented by Paul Burgener, UNL agricultural economist, will discuss "Higher Prices: Now What Should I Plant?" Attorney J. Leef of Sidney will look at legal issues and discuss why "Fair Isn't Always Equal."

Kelsey Quandt, a 17-year-old from Stromsburg, will present "Timeline of Fashion" and share her love of history and women's fashion. Kelsey sews costumes representing different eras of women's fashions ranging from the Middle Ages to the Civil War.

In the afternoon a Creative Marketing Panel will include presentations on "Selling on eBay" by Connie Hancock, UNL extension educator; theGROW Nebraska marketing and training program for entrepreneurs and businesses, presented by founder and CEO Janell Anderson Ehrke of Holdrege; the Northeast Colorado RC&D Web site by Lou Ann Lambertson of Sterling, Colo.; and "Raising a Commodity: Marketing Your Passion" by Cindy Ridenour of Yoder, Wyo. Her family raises grass-fed beef, vegetables and pork and markets most of their products directly to the consumer.

The luncheon speaker will be Dave Zimmer of Kearney who will speak on "The Top Ten Ways to Live a Significant Life."

Carla Mahar, UNL extension educator, will give an overview of Annie's Project, a farm management training program for women.

News Release
UNL's Panhandle Research and Development Center