Women Managing Cattle

Bob Wells, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach Field Agricultural Economist

Annie’s Project: Capacity Building, Delivery, and Evaluation of Risk Management Education for Iowa Farm and Ranch Women: St. Paul MN (IA, MN, WI) is based upon work supported by USDA/FCIC Risk Management Agency under accounting number 12-IE-53102-029.

The mission of Annie's Project is to empower farm women to be better

business partners through networks and by managing and organizing

critical information.

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Annie’s Project is a national education program that teaches farm women how to manage risk:

• Production Risk• Price or Market Risk• Financial Risk• Institutional and Legal Risk• Human and Personal Risk

Women Managing Cattle gives farm women an opportunity to interact with others who face the same challenges in bringing cattle to market.

Women Managing Cattle provides education and support documents for:

• Costs of Production• Marketing Alternatives• Pasture Management• Pasture Watering options

Women Managing Cattle covers:• Financial Risk• Price or Market Risk

Women Managing Cattle covers:

• Production Risk

Women Managing Cattle covers:

• Production Risk

No more than one-half the time is spent in lecture.

One-half the time is spent in discussion, question-and-answer period, or activity.

Meeting Structure for Women Managing Cattle

• Target class size is 15.• Light meals to ease the rush and

encourage fellowship• Nine hours of education in three sessions• Instructors are

– Field Agricultural Economist– Beef Field Specialist– Field Agricultural Engineer

Participants will be able to – • Calculate their own break-even for their

cow/calf operation on a dollars per hundred-weight basis

• Determine potential profitability in a given year

• Use tools to evaluate whether to sell at weaning, backgrounding, or finishing

Women Managing Cattle Financial Risk Outcomes

Participants will be able to – • Evaluate Livestock Risk Protection as an

insurance tool for their operation• Use basis estimates with current futures

markets to anticipate prices

Women Managing Cattle Price or Market Risk Outcomes

Participants will be able to – • Inventory their resources, e.g. pasture base, in order

to manage them effectively• Consider changes in supplementation strategies

depending on weather and prices of alternative feedstuffs

• Learn about different types of watering systems that vary in price and complexity

• Understand that open feedlot runoff must be managed to comply with state environmental regulations

Women Managing Cattle Production Risk Outcomes

• Increased confidence in decision making• Become better farm managers and

business partners• Expand network of peers and professional

service providers

Women Managing Cattle Long-term Outcomes