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Annie's Project course for farm women Starts Feb. 12Missouri University of Missouri Extension and Polk County Commissioners are offering a series of farm management courses designed just for women--known as Annie's Project--starting Feb. 12. "The course should be of particular interest to women who want to learn how to run a farm as a business," said Wesley Tucker, an agriculture business specialist with MU Extension. "But it is also good for those that want to do a better job of marketing or need to learn how to pass the farm on to the next generation." The Annie's Project course includes seven evening classes, each on Tuesdays (Feb. 12, 19, 26, March 5, 12, 19 and 26). The classes will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Citizens Memorial Hospital Community Rooms in Bolivar, Mo. Class size will be limited to the first 20 women who register to ensure sufficient group interaction and one-on-one assistance. For more information or to request a brochure, contact the Polk County Extension Center at 417-326-4916 or polkco@missouri.edu. Annie's Project began with a farm wife who grew up in northern Illinois. She spent her life learning how to be an involved business partner with her husband. This course takes Annie's experience and shares it with farm women so they can be better business partners. According to Wesley Tucker, agriculture business specialist with University of Missouri Extension, the course provides mentoring for farm women with varying levels of business skills. "Women who are new to a farm business may be afraid to ask questions. Women who are accustomed to the farm business may feel helpless with new technologies. A program like this gets those two groups together and collectively finds solutions," said Tucker. The goal is to empower farm women and help them make better management decisions through networking and by using critical financial information. The course is to provide mentoring for farm women with varying levels of business skills. Course topics will include: learning to communicate and work with each of the four basic personality types, economics of land ownership, farm record keeping and taxes, business plans, pasture rental contracts, how property is titled, insurance needs, financial statements, retirement and estate planning, farm succession planning for the next generation, using computers and the Internet on the farm, understanding Missouri fence laws, livestock marketing and risk management, keys to being a profitable livestock producer, and more. The course will be taught by MU Extension specialists and special guest speakers. The class is being partially funded by a grant from the North Central Risk Management Center. Date: 1/28/2013
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