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Women Planning Ag Businesses: A Multi-Week Annie's Inspired Course

Melissa O'Rourke and Madeline Schultz

Summary

Iowa is a top 10 state where women-owned businesses have the highest economic clout. Women own 43.3 percent of Iowa businesses, many intertwined with agriculture. Iowa's rural communities can capitalize on this trend by assisting women (an underserved demographic) to increase business success.

Women Planning Ag Businesses is a multi-week course for women exploring, starting, or expanding a farm or rural business. Over five weeks, the course offers a step-by-step approach to developing business plans for diverse farm and rural businesses. Operations may include local foods innovations, family farm growth or transition initiatives, rural businesses related to creative arts, sales, transportation, and more.

The Women Planning Ag Businesses course has been offered seven times, most recently in 2021 and 2022. The programs are offered in-person, including opportunities for online consultations and guidance. The course covers market exploration, production methods, human resource considerations, financial planning and other topics vital to building a profitable business. Women networked and accessed valuable resources while formulating business plans.

The Women Planning Ag Businesses course is inspired by Annie's Project and is specific to local needs. It provides impact by assisting women to develop focused skills needed to plan and grow rural and farm-based businesses in the areas of marketing, financial and overall business planning. The Women Planning Ag Businesses curriculum focuses on networking and local professional presenters in four key business planning areas: designing business opportunities; analyzing financial strategies for business establishment and growth; examining human resource needs; and exploring market opportunities.

PRESENTERS: Melissa O'Rourke and Madeline Schultz

Details

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