Conference will take place October 23rd and 24th in Davis
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
Newly released numbers by the United States Department of Agriculture shows that female farmers in West Virginia are doing their part to help the state’s agricultural industry prosper.
The numbers suggest that there are 9,320 women farmers in West Virginia, which account for 29% of farmers in the state. They are responsible for more than 1.25 million acres of land, and $62.4 million in economic impact.
Doolarie Singh-Knights, an assistant professor with the West Virginia University Extension Service estimates that the rate of women in West Virginia pursuing careers in agriculture is about three times the national average.
Women from West Virginia and the surrounding area will take part in the second annual Women in Agriculture Conference, being held in Davis, West Virginia.
The conference will take place from October 23rd to 24th and feature a variety of speakers including:
- Lilly Parker, a farmer who operates a 500-acre mixed livestock farm in Marion County
- Jennifer Hill Jones, owner and manager of Swift Level Farm and Swift Level Land and Cattle
- Chris Hogan, law student at West Virginia University and president of the Food and Agricultural Law Society
The two-day conference will also offer a variety of classes for attendees to participate in, including Ag Mechanics 101, how to use social media effectively and multi species grazing.
In addition to the classes and speakers, the organizers have set out goals for this year’s conference:
Education – Obtain valuable information through discussion-based learning
Network – Effectively connect with other producers, funders, service-providers, and governmental representatives
Leadership – Develop and share leadership skills to increase success in the agriculture and natural resources industry
Viability – Improve efficiency and increase small farm and agribusiness sustainability in West Virginia
Join the conversation and tell us if you’ll be attending the Women in Agriculture Conference. What things are you hoping to take away from the event?