U of A hosts Arkansas Women in Agriculture Conference

Jan. 7, 2005

Contact Information:

Dr. Jennie Popp, Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, 479-575-2279 / jhpopp@uark.edu
Dana Stewart, Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, 479-575-2279 / ddmarti@uark.edu
Fred Miller, Agricultural Communications, 479-575-5647 / fmiller@uark.edu

FAYETTEVILLE --- The first Arkansas Women in Agriculture conference will be held March 3-4 at the Hot Springs Convention Center "to enrich the lives and empower the participants in all aspects of agriculture and in the rural community," said Dr. Jennie Popp, an agricultural economist in the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences on the Fayetteville campus.


Keynote speakers for the conference are Jolene Brown of West Branch, Iowa, and Ginger Graham of San Diego, Calif.
Brown is a professional speaker and farm operator who uses a blend of humor, hope and helpful ideas to address the hearts, homes and business of agriculture. Graham earned an agricultural business degree from Bumpers College and is chief executive officer of Amylin Pharmaceuticals of San Diego.
Concurrent sessions will cover a broad range of topics, including estate planning, tax issues in agriculture, elderly care, women's health issues, business record keeping, legalities in marketing, nutrition, environmental record keeping, methamphetimine problems in rural areas, and balancing service with home, work and family.
There will also be a cooking demonstration by Don Bingham, Arkansas Governor's Mansion chef.
Early registration for the conference is open through Jan. 31 and costs $25, Popp said. Late registration will cost $35. Students can register for $15. The fee includes conference meals.
The growing number of women in the "man's world" of agriculture make the conference not just a good idea, but a necessity, said Popp and faculty colleague Janie Hipp.
Arkansas is part of a national trend of increasing numbers of women as farm operators. From 1992 to 2002, the number of men as full-time farm operators in the United States declined, but the number of women increased by 42 percent to 236,269, according to the U.S. Census of Agriculture.
"In Arkansas, an estimated 19,900 women are farm operators, and nearly 5,000 are principal operators," Popp said.
"This is a large group of people who are not being adequately served," said Hipp, an attorney who teaches and develops extension programs on legal and regulatory issues that impact agriculture. "Anything we do to help women do a better job will pay off in a stronger agricultural sector and better communities."
"The purpose of this conference is to help prepare Arkansas women to meet the challenges of an ever-changing agricultural marketplace and an ever-changing rural landscape," Popp said.
The conference was funded initially with a grant of $20,000 from the Women's Giving Circle, made up of about 80 women involved in the University of Arkansas Campaign for the Twenty-First Century.
Additional funding has come from the Arkansas Farm Bureau, AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Services of Western Arkansas and Farm Credit MidSouth.
More sponsors are being sought to help keep the registration fee low.
The conference hotels in Hot Springs are the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa and the Embassy Suites. Registration must be made by January 31 to assure the conference rates.
For more information, including a full conference schedule and registration form, visit the conference Web site: http://www.arwomeninag.com/.