Women Taking the Lead for Kentucky Agriculture

Women Taking the Lead for Kentucky Agriculture

Summary

As documented in national agriculture statistics, the involvement of women in agriculture has been increasing. For the past four years, women from various walks of Kentucky’s agriculture life have organized statewide and promoted small agri-business practices, value-added marketing, risk-management, alternative agriculture opportunities, sustainable practices, and networking with government and educational agencies through four state level meetings. Women farmers, many of who represent small and limited resource farmers in Kentucky, are wanting to learn more about how important decisions and policies that affect their future are made.

This proposal outlines a public policy institute for building skills and expanding the efforts of a growing and significant group in Kentucky. It is this project’s aim to strengthen the state’s sustainable agriculture through policy and legislative avenues by preparing women in agriculture for new leadership roles. This will be accomplished by equipping them with the information and tools they need to express their views and concerns.

Through the network of women in agriculture, women’s organizations, and sustainable agriculture groups, this institute will provide information on how policy and legislative priorities are established, how to lobby on agriculture issues, what makes an effective public statement, and ways to work with the media to get the message out to the consumer as well as policy makers. Institute participants will then use these new tools and information to teach others how to make their voices heard—and make a difference for Kentucky’s sustainable agriculture future.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Kentucky Women in Agriculture, Inc., seeks to establish an education and leadership program that prepares its members and collaborators to advocate and promote sustainable agricultural and community development. This project will assist in accomplishing this goal by:
 Preparing a group of women to serve as agricultural policy and legislative guides for women and other members of the Kentucky agriculture community;
 Conducting an 8-hour educational institute for public policy education on agricultural policy development; and
 Disseminating information gained throughout the project.
The 8-hour institute will prepare participants to:
A. Understand and explain to others Kentucky’s legislative and budget development process;
B. Follow rules for effective and ethical lobbying;
C. Analyze and interpret data related to community and economic trends related to agriculture, natural resources, and food security;
D. Prepare statements for public hearings and listening sessions;
E. Work with local media to tell agriculture’s story through press releases and building media relationships; and
F. Develop strategies for sharing information learned in the Institute with other women and small farmers around the state.

Accomplishments/Milestones

1. Establish Planning Team: Women farmers, members of KWIA, and representatives from project supporters and collaborators (League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women, Kentucky Commission on Women, Partners for Family Farms, and Kentucky Farm Bureau) were identified to serve on a planning and coordinating team. Team members were instrumental in preparing the Institute training plan, recruiting presenters, preparing Institute applications and procedures, promoting Institute, and reviewing applications.

2. Recruit Participants: Kentucky Women in Agriculture, Inc., and collaborators mentioned above helped to identify and recruit a geographically and economically diverse group of 24 women involved in Kentucky agriculture to participate in the Institute.

3. Conduct Institute: Several events occurred including an 8-hour public policy leadership training session, roundtables at the statewide conference, follow-up institute meeting

4. Document Project Outcomes: Institute participants have provided documentation of their field experiences and activities and materials developed by them.

5. Disseminate Learnings: (1) Institute participants served as roundtable panelists during of the KWIA annual conference and shared what they learned in the Institute; (2) aided in development of public policy materials, tip sheets, fact sheets, and other information for location on the KWIA web site and in print form. These are in the final stages of preparation and will be available after June 30, 2006.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Highlights of their Institute participants' activities include:

• Organizing activities to get tractor warning signs on local roads to warn other motorists of the potential for slow moving vehicles

• Working to get 4-H livestock project started in county program (currently only horse club activities or FFA)

• Serving on county green space committee to determine public views on local urban development

• Participating in local water resource ownership issues and providing strategic assistance to group

• Building relationships with local farmers to get them to participate in and use government programs that will support their farming operations

• Writing grants with regional tourism committee to develop economic plans

• Working with local elementary school to promote food to table programs

• Organizing steering committee for study of local food economy policy development