More and more of Kansas’s farms are being owned and managed by women, and those women can always use a support network. That’s the premise behind the annual, award-winning Women Managing the Farm Conference.

This year’s conference is being held Feb. 15 and 16 in Manhattan, Kan., and will follow the theme “Maximizing My Influence: Farm, Community, Consumers.”

Since 2005, this event has been bringing together women who help provide the nation’s food supply. The Women Managing the Farm conference provides a supportive setting in which women can develop the skills, resources and knowledge needed for success in a competitive agricultural environment.

Conference sessions and speakers are selected to keep women up-to-date on the latest advancements in agriculture in order to thrive within their own rural communities. During the two-day conference, attendees select from presentations covering many topics, such as farm finances, relationships and health, agricultural and estate law, crop production and marketing, management, and more. Attendees also choose networking sessions tailored to the different roles women hold, such as agricultural partners and helpers, independent producers, absentee landowners, ag industry career women, and business managers. Optional pre-conference workshops are offered on Feb. 14, with activities such as "A Farmer's Guide to Quickbooks" and "Connecting to Consumers: Storytelling and Content Strategy for Social Media."

The 2018 conference will open Thursday morning with an energetic program by Marji Guyler-Alaniz, founder and president of FarmHer, an organization that showcases women in agriculture. Other exciting general session presenters for 2018 include Naomi Blohm, agriculture economist and market adviser with Stewart-Peterson; Allyson Perry, community advocate with The Center for Food Integrity; and Mary B. Lucas, speaker, people connector, and author of Lunchmeat & Life Lessons: Sharing a Butcher's Wisdom. Thursday evening’s activity will feature Renee Kelly, host of Kansas City’s local TV show “Harvest with Renee Kelly.” Kelly’s show focuses on telling the stories of the relationship between farmers and chefs.

Registration for the conference is available online, with an early bird rate of $140 available through Dec. 15. After this date, regular registration fee is $160 through Feb. 2. The Women Managing the Farm Conference is sponsored by various agricultural organizations. More information about speakers, programs, exhibitors, registration and scholarships can be found online or by calling 785-532-2560. Keep up-to-date with the latest Women Managing the Farm news through Facebook.com/WomenManagingtheFarm.

Source: Women Managing the Farm