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A Heart of the Farm - Women in Agriculture Conference will be held at Belle Vinez Winery, W10829 875th Avenue, River Falls, WI on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. Registration begins at 9 a.m., with introductions and opening remarks at 9:30. Pre-registration is required.

The Heart of the Farm Conference series is a University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension program committed to addressing the needs of farm women by providing education on farm business topics, connecting them with agricultural resources, and creating support networks. The conference addresses issues relevant to both large and small operations. Since 2002, over 80 one-day conferences held across the state reached over 1,500 participants.

According to 2017 U.S. agricultural census data, there are 22,671 Wisconsin farms identifying a woman as the principal operator. This is a dramatic increase from prior census data and places Wisconsin 9th in the nation for the number of women principal operators. Census data indicates West Central Wisconsin (representing 10 counties) has 3,741 farms with a female identified as a principal operator.

Topics and speakers will include:

  • Balancing Act – or is it a Three Ring Circus? – Jenny Vanderlin and Ryan Sterry, UW-Madison Division of Extension
  • Taking Care of You: Body, Mind, Spirit – Lori Zierl, UW-Madison Division of Extension
  • Podcasts for Farmers and Aggies – Leslie Svancina, Cylon Rolling Acres
  • Financial Ratios for Your Farm - Ryan Sterry, UW-Madison Division of Extension

There will be wine tasting and networking in the afternoon.

Registration for the workshop is $20 per person. The registration deadline is Oct. 31. To register, or for more information, contact Extension St. Croix County agriculture agent Ryan Sterry, 715-531-1930 ryan.sterry@wisc.edu, or Jenny Vanderlin, jenny.vanderlin@wisc.edu, 608-263-7795.