J O H N W. B E R RY,A G R I C U LT U R A L M A R K E T I N G E D U C AT O R

& W I N I F R E D W. M C G E E

E C O N O M I C / C O M M U N I T Y D E V E L O P M E N T E D U C AT O R

P E N N S TAT E E X T E N S I O N

Adapting the highly successful Annie's Project to diverse east

coast farm communities

Annie’s Project

The mission – to empower female farmers to be proactive in addressing business risk through networks and by managing and organizing critical information.

Standard Annie’s Curriculum

Six-Day Course that addresses:

Production Risk

Price or Market Risk

Financial Risk

Institutional and Legal Risk

Human and Personal Risk

Annie’s Hallmark -- Interaction

No more than ½ each session spent in lecture! Networking/discussion Class activities Guest speakers/panels

The Pennsylvania Goal:

To modify the extremely successful mid-western program for eastern participants, whose farms are often:Smaller More diversified Adding value as a major strategy In a “mixed use” community

Differentiating Annie’s Project for the Northeast

NE Annie’s Project

Feedlot beef/goats

Heirloom Vegetables

CSA

Free-range poultry

Farmstead cheese

Product liability insurance

Enterprise budgets

Mid-West Annie’s Project

Large farms & ranches

GrainCornSoybeansHogsCattleDairy

Commodity Markets

Crop Insurance

FINPACK Analysis

VS

Customizing Annie’s Project

Multi-disciplinary teamNE CRME funding secured Interface with PA women farmers Creating curriculum

To answer their questions To address their concerns To encourage and empower

Annie’s ProjectAgenda

Day 1 – Course Introduction

Meet presenters and other participants

Learn how Annie’s Project “works”

Risk Tolerance Self-assessment

Annie’s ProjectAgenda

Day 2 – Marketing Risks

Truly Targeting your Market

Strategic Marketing

Planning for Resiliency in Changing Marketplace

Annie’s ProjectAgenda

Day 3 – Production Risks

Mapping Past Changes

Management Tools – Diversification, Insurance, Technology and Contracts

Building your Advisory Team

SWOT Analyses

Annie’s ProjectAgenda

Day 4 – Financial Risks

Financial + Marketing + Production Ties

Budgets = paper trial runs Activities – Using cash

flow/enterprise figures for decision-making

Farm credit/banker/ag grant recipient as presenter/panel

Annie’s ProjectAgenda

Day 5 – Human Resource Risks

Developing a proactive/responsive leadership skill set

Working with/for relatives versus non-related employees

Creating contingency plans

Annie’s ProjectAgenda

Day 6 – Community Risks

Selecting the Appropriate Business Structure

Evaluating/creating CSA Contracts

Regulatory/Environmental issues

Local Government/Agencies – Who’s in charge?

Kicking the Tires –piloting the workshop

Pilot Session in Exton, Pennsylvania

Collaborated with Chester County Economic Development Council

November, December 2008 and January 2009

9 registered participants 2 vegetable growers 2 dairy 1 feedlot beef 1 poultry 1 PASA representative 1 insurance industry representative 1 “exploring” agriculture

Challenges Faced

Winter weather!Span of classes – 2 per

month, three monthsExtensive evaluation of

impactLevel of family support for

Annie’s Project/the ag business

Acceptance of new/different ways to look at and do things

Outside forces Off-farm employment Jury duty

Positive Outcomes

Rapid relationship building Share concerns “Test market” value-added

productsParticipants as experts

CSA development Insurance consults Environmental grants

Linkage to other classes 2 participant enrolled in Your

Future in Focus business planning course

2 participants collaborating with Extension in development of Annie’s Project – Women Adding Value

Participant Feedback: Why Annie’s Project was Successful

Intimate nature of workshopImmediate application to

“their own farms”Amount of usable

information Applied to farms Applied to their lives

Ability to ask questions of Each other The instructors Guest speakers

A Taste ofPA Annie’s Curriculum

Session Activity:Mapping your Production Change

Tips for (Would-be) Annie’s ProjectInstructors

Not for the faint of heart! Know more than what’s in the

Power Point Be ready to follow rabbit trails Let the participants guide the class BUT – Always have 2-3 key concepts

that need to be learned, discussed and tried out before the session ends!

Be ready to explore with the class

Have the “next step” in mindTake personal interest in the

participants – be part of their network!

Next Steps for Annie’s Project in the North East

Train-the-Trainer in State College PA

June 20 & 21, 2010Support from Annie’s National

Team2-Day Agenda

Stakeholder Meeting Trainer pre-session Women Ag-Professionals roundtable Female Farmers roundtable

Annie’s Train-the-Trainer Session Overview of Annie’s Project – purpose,

mechanics, marketing, financing Introduction to Annie’s Project for the NE

Curriculum – familiarization with in-class activities and the interactive presentation method

J O H N W. B E R RY,A G R I C U LT U R A L M A R K E T I N G E D U C AT O R

& W I N I F R E D W. M C G E E

E C O N O M I C / C O M M U N I T Y D E V E L O P M E N T E D U C AT O R

P E N N S TAT E E X T E N S I O N

Adapting the highly successful Annie's Project to diverse east

coast farm communities