The annual Women Managing the Farm Conference is marking a big anniversary in 2024 with a big program for women in agriculture.

For 20 years, the conference has brought together women of all ages, from all agricultural sectors, to learn valuable skills for their farms, families and careers. Registration for this year’s conference, which will be Feb. 14-16, is now open, according to organizers.

Featured speakers

The conference is planned over two days, Feb. 15-16, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan, Kan., with optional preconference tours and workshops Feb. 14.

Mark Mayfield is a familiar face to many in the agricultural world, and he’ll lead off the morning of Feb. 15 with valuable insights into gaining perspective during difficult times. Mayfield blends his unique comedy with heartwarming personal experiences to give audiences skills they can use to manage their mental health and reset their baselines for happiness and success.

The luncheon speaker on Feb. 15 will be Matt Roberts, a grain analyst with Terrain, an offering of American AgCredit, Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit. He’ll provide grain market insights and forecasts.

The morning of Feb. 16 will begin with a panel discussion with three Kansas Master Farm Homemakers — Donna Pearson-McClish, Rhonda Perry and Laryce Schwieterman — moderated by Kansas Farmer Editor Jennifer M. Latzke. This coffee club panel will discuss the opportunities and challenges each has faced in their farming careers and in their farm families, offering inspiration and advice for women of all ages.

Kim Bremer will close the conference Feb. 16, with her inspiring message to celebrate strong women in agriculture. Her session will be about speaking up and sharing the real story of agriculture, while celebrating the role women play in connecting people to where their food comes from.

During the two-day conference, there will be many breakout sessions, covering a wide range of topics such as cattle handling, direct-to-consumer food sales, farm estate planning, farm finance, cover crops, small ruminants, farm labor recruitment and retention, farm management, and many more.

To see a full list of speakers, visit womenmanagingthefarm.com/agenda.

Preconference workshops and tours

Optional preconference opportunities are on tap for attendees for an additional $25 registration fee.

An afternoon session, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 14, will focus on wellness in agriculture. “Rise and Renew: Wellness and Resetting in Agriculture,” will feature Kaila Anderson and her “The LandLogic Model,” a way to creatively incorporate the land into the clinical treatment for behavioral health in the agricultural population.

The afternoon will wrap up with Melinda Sinn and Marsha Jensen leading participants in stamping and paper arts activities. The session is sure to recharge batteries and bring out the creative side.

For those from the western side of the state, new this year is the “Sunflower State Showcase.” For a $25 registration fee, you can catch a ride at one of six different pickup locations across the state, stopping along the route to Manhattan for fun tours and stops that highlight agritourism and rural tourism along the way.

Each round-trip outing will leave midmorning Feb. 14, arriving in Manhattan that evening, and return attendees to the drop-off point after the conference Feb. 16. The pickup locations will be WaKeeney, Hays, Kinsley, El Dorado, Stockton and Garnett. See each route’s planned tours at womenmanagingthefarm.com/agenda.

Registration

Regular conference registration is $175, if registered by Jan. 18. The rate will increase to $200 after that date. High school or college students qualify for a $75 student rate. All preconference options are an additional $25.

Scholarships are available, via an application online. See details for registration and scholarship applications at womenmanagingthefarm.com/registration.