Annie's Project provides critical training for women farmers

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A nationwide program named after an Illinois farm wife who spent her lifetime learning how to be an involved business partner with her husband will come to South Carolina June 11-14. Annie's Project is a risk-management education program sponsored by Clemson University Extension, ArborOne Farm Credit, AgSouth Farm Credit, South Carolina Farm Bureau and the South Carolina Women's Agricultural Network, and it will be held in Hartsville. Topics at the three-day, three-night intensive training session will include risk assessment, business planning, financial statements, farm transition, legal concerns and much more. The cost to attend is $175 for all sessions, meals and three nights' lodging. Overnight accomodations will be provided by the Fairfield Inn of Hartsville. “ArborOne Farm Credit is pleased to be the lead sponsor of Annie’s Project,” said ArborOne President and CEO Kathy Huestess. "Educating the entire farm family is of utmost importance to us here at Farm Credit, since often the women are management the business side of the farm while the men are tending to the crops and herds." She said since statistics show that women outlive men, it makes "it even more important from a succession planning standpoint for women to fully understand the family business." "Annie's Project provides invaluable training for these women, and gives them wonderful opportunities to network, too," Huestess noted. Registration is limited for the project and closes May 15. For more information, or to register, visit www.clemson.edu/scwagn or call Jennifer Boyles at (843) 616-0786.