12:33 p.m., Jan. 13, 2009----“Women play a critical role in day-to-day farm and agribusiness activities,” says Laurie Wolinski, a University of Delaware Cooperative Extension associate. “Cooperative Extension recognizes the contributions of women in production agriculture and wants to help them succeed even further.”

THIS STORY

E-mail

Print

Twitter

To that end, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension is sponsoring the 8th annual Women in Agriculture conference to be held Thursday and Friday, Jan. 22-23, at the Dover Downs Hotel in Dover.

Featured speakers will be Odonna Mathews, a specialist in consumer communications, and Stacy and Troy Hadrick, fifth-generation ranchers from South Dakota.

Mathews, who formerly was a vice president of consumer affairs for Giant Food and Stop & Shop supermarkets, will speak about consumer trends that impact growers.

Troy and Stacy Hadrick created an organization called “Advocates for Agriculture” to promote the concerns of growers and producers. The couple will share their experiences and help growers learn how to more effectively communicate with the public and the press.

Each day, morning and afternoon workshops will be presented on such topics as grain marketing, keeping food safe while it's on the farm, selling direct, agri-tourism, the status of honeybees and crop insurance.

On Thursday, Jan. 22, there will be an evening reception and opportunity to watch harness racing.

The event is modeled after a successful Nebraska conference that has been held annually for more than 20 years, says Wolinski. “The conference is a great opportunity for women in agriculture to get up-to-date, relevant information for their business and personal lives. It's a day of learning, visiting with friends and meeting new people who will share their stories and experiences.”

Conference cost is $40, and lunch is included on Jan. 22. Reservations are required. For information, call Wolinski at (302) 831-2538 or visit the Web page.

Article by Margo McDonough