Cumber, Carol J.

Sugutt, Barnabas

English

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South Dakota State UniversityOpen PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access InstitutionalRepository and Information ExchangeEconomics Commentator Economics3-23-2011Evaluating Women in Agriculture TrainingPrograms in South DakotaCarol J. CumberSouth Dakota State UniversityBarnabas SuguttSouth Dakota State UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/econ_commPart of the Agricultural and Resource Economics Commons, and the Regional EconomicsCommonsThis Newsletter is brought to you for free and open access by the Economics at Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repositoryand Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Economics Commentator by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: OpenPublic Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact michael.biondo@sdstate.edu.Recommended CitationCumber, Carol J. and Sugutt, Barnabas, "Evaluating Women in Agriculture Training Programs in South Dakota" (2011). EconomicsCommentator. Paper 520.http://openprairie.sdstate.edu/econ_comm/520*Contact lead author at Carol.Cumber@sdstate.edu or 605-688-4141.              E C O N O M I C S    C O M M E N T A T O R South Dakota State University   No. 529                    March 23, 2011 Evaluating Women in Agriculture Training Programs in South Dakota                by Carol J. Cumber,*   Professor,   and  Barnabas Sugutt, Graduate Student   Introduction  Women’s involvement in agriculture and agribusiness is increasingly recognized as an important component of success in farm and ranch production and management. The South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Service (SDSU-CES) has implemented projects and programs targeted for women in agriculture. The primary objectives were to empower farm and ranch women in the state and help prepare them for increased participation in agricultural decision-making and management. According to SDSU-CES, more than 200 women have participated in Annie’s Project and its successor, Sustainable Annie’s Systems in South Dakota for Years to Come (SASSY) training programs. Although there is anecdotal evidence that these programs have benefitted women in agriculture, a recent assessment and evaluation study of SASSY was conducted to provide empirical evidence as to the degree that this program had a positive impact.  Annie’s Project and Sustainable Annie’s Systems in South Dakota for Years to Come (SASSY) Annie’s Project is an agricultural business program for women based on the life of Annette Fleck, a farm woman from Illinois. Annie’s Project’s primary goal is to empower farm women to become better partners through networking, learning about management, and organization of important  information related to farm business and operations. Annie’s Project started in Illinois in 2003 with a class of 10 women, and has grown to more than 2,000 women in 23 states. Annie’s Project training was introduced to South Dakota in 2006 in Dewey and Harding Counties with collaboration between North Dakota State University and South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Services.   In fall 2008, SDSU-CES developed a follow-up SASSY training program unique to South Dakota. This training was offered fall 2009 and spring 2010 with the primary goals of sustaining learning and promoting the best identified practices learned through Annie’s Project. According to SDSU-CES, Annie’s Project participants expressed the desire for more in-depth information on risk management, how to be more effective business partners and how to create sustainability in their operation. SASSY training was offered over six sessions in Aurora, Brookings, Corson, Haakon, Harding, McCook, Meade, Pennington, Perkins, and Sully counties.  Assessment and Evaluation of SASSY Prior to the formal assessment of the SASSY program, evaluation of women in agriculture training programs in SD were limited to feedback notes and informal comments from end-of-class assignments and home assignments. A formal survey was developed and distributed in order to better understand what is important when designing and implementing training programs; identifying short term and long term program relevance, effectiveness, and compatibility; and providing feedback information to improve future training programs and increase participation of women in agriculture. The survey, developed by SDSU Economics Department researchers, was distributed to SASSY participants during the last session of training. Of 120 total participants, 60 returned surveys, representing a 50 percent response rate.   Survey Results High interest in SASSY training was demonstrated in that eighty-one percent of the participants attended four or more of the six sessions. Over half of the participants were 45 years or older, and 88 percent were married. The participants consisted of 37 percent college graduates, 29 percent with some college level education, and 14 percent with post graduate education. Forty-six percent of the participants had been involved in agricultural operations for over 30 years, and 16 percent 20-29 years. Seventy-one percent of participants were able to attend a training center within 40 miles of their home. The most common form of ownership of the farming operation was sole proprietorship (56%), followed by partnership (24%). Fifty-six percent of the participants were involved in both livestock and crop production, with 30 percent involving 1,001-5,000 acres, and 37 percent 5,001-10,000 acres. Annual farm gross income for 43 percent of the participants was below $100,000; followed by 26 percent between $100,000 and $200,000.   SASSY participants were asked to respond to questions based upon their experiences in the SASSY training program. Nine out of fourteen SASSY   training topics (see Table 1) had a mean average of four and above (somewhat to very important), and the remaining five topics had a mean average of at least three (somewhat important).   Learning how to balance farm and ranch life was a central subset of SASSY training. Table 2 indicates that getting organized, focusing on priorities, being flexible, living simply, and building networks and focusing on personal time all had high mean averages, indicating their importance to the survey respondents.   In relation to goal-setting, the highest percentage of goal setting occurred in relation to family/personal and financial goals, with the lowest percentage in relation to their communities (refer to Table 3). Nearly all the survey respondents (95%) said they will share their goals with their spouse and/or other and family members.  The survey also asked farm and ranch women to indicate what barriers they faced in relation to accomplishing their goals (refer to Table 4). Interestingly, although nearly all the respondents indicated that they would share their goals with their spouse and or other family members, the most frequently identified barrier to goal accomplishment was a complicated family situation.   Table 1.  Importance of Topics Covered by SASSY Training in Percentage Importance topics covered by SASSY training Very Important 5 Important 4 Somewhat Important 3 Least Important 2 Not Important 1 Didn't receive  information 0 Mean Average % % % % % %  Financial records 66.7 19.3 10.5 1.7 - 1.7 4.46 Marketing strategies and plans 59.7 26.3 10.5 3.5 - - 4.42 Production records 54.4 31.6 10.5 1.7 - 1.7 4.33 Other 66.7 - 33.3 - -  4.33 Livestock production 58.9 25.0   3.6 5.3 5.3 1.8 4.21 Goal setting 46.6 31.0 15.5 5.2 1.7 - 4.16 Communication skills 52.6 21.1 19.3 3.5 - 3.5 4.12 Health and well being 41.4 32.7 19.0 5.2 - 1.7 4.05 Relationships 48.3 25.6 17.2 3.5 - 5.2 4.03 Natural resources 25.0 37.5 25.0      10.7 - 1.8 3.71 Crop insurance 26.8 32.1 19.6      12.5 - 8.9 3.46 Niche marketing 26.4 28.3 26.4 9.4 1.9 7.6 3.45 Crop production 26.8 26.8 26.8 5.4 7.1 7.1 3.39 Animal insurance 25.0 26.8 17.9 5.4 8.9      16.0    3.05 Source: SASSY training survey, 2010.  Table 2.  Ways of Finding Balance for Farm and Ranch Life  Very Important 5 Important 4 Somewhat Important 3 Least Important 2 Not Important 1 Mean Average  % % % % %  Getting organized 62.0 25.4   8.5 3.4 - 4.47 Focusing on priorities 50.9 28.1 15.8 5.2 - 4.25 Being flexibility 37.9 41.4 17.2 3.5 - 4.14 Simplifying life 40.4 31.6 26.3 1.7 - 4.11 Building networks 43.9 21.0 26.3 8.8 - 4.00 Personal time 39.0 27.1 25.4 5.1 3.4 3.93 Source: SASSY training survey, 2010.    Table 3.  Goals and Time Frame       Goals  .        Time Frame   .   Yes  No Short-term Mid-term Long-term   % % % % % Family/personal 83 17 40 23 37 Finance 81 19 29 33 38 Operation 79 21 32 37 31 Production 77 23 41 40 19 Marketing 64 36 67 22 11 Community 48 52 53 30 17 Source: SASSY training survey, 2010.    Table 4.  Barriers to Goal Accomplishment Barriers # of responses % of total responses Complicated family situation 36 33.0 Lack of funds to support plan 30 27.5 Too busy 22 20.2 Other 12 11.1 Hard to put ideas into words 9 8.2 Total 109 100 Source: SASSY training survey, 2010.    SASSY participants received training in recordkeeping and financial planning. Recordkeeping in relation to tax returns and financial statement preparation, monitoring agricultural production and business progress, tracking deductibles, identifying receipts, and a decision making tool for making production decisions were all discussed, with the respondents identifying all these areas as important to very important. Forty-two percent of the participants still had difficulty in calculating commodity prices and evaluating financial ratios post-training.   Finally, survey respondents were asked how quickly they would apply what they had learned from the SASSY sessions. Sixty-seven percent of the respondents indicated that they would try it out right away, with the remainder concluding that they would wait until an approach was proven or used by other famers/ranchers first.    Conclusion  SASSY participants who responded to the survey agreed with the trainers regarding the importance of the topics covered.  Record-keeping was considered most important in preparation of tax returns, financial statements, and monitoring business progress. Although the training increased confidence in making financial calculations, more training in this area would be helpful. Although most shared goals with their spouses and family members, a complicated family situation was considered the leading barrier to goal accomplishment. A session to address this might be warranted. Sixty-seven percent of respondents indicated that they would immediately use the skills and knowledge acquired in SASSY training. The respondents expressed increased confidence based on the topics covered in the program.      SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY Economics Department Box 504 Brookings, SD  57007-0895  Change Service Requested  For further reading: Annie’s Project: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/annie North Central Risk Management Education Center: http://www.ncrme.org/Grants/documents/SouthDakota_000.pdf The Ag Risk Education Library. Annie’s Project Summary: http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/verification/vrregister.dll/publicresults?ProjectNumber=RME-D4K02431 The Ag Risk Education Library. SASSY Project Summary: http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/VerificationSearch/DisplayProposal.aspx?PN=RME-DF202638 For additional information contact: Robin Salverson SDSU Cooperative Extension Service Phone: 605-375-3412 E-mail: robin.salverson@sdstate.edu  Stacy Hadrick SDSU Cooperative Extension Service Phone: 605-347-1195 E-mail: stacy.hadrick@sdstate.edu  Adele Harty SDSU Cooperative Extension Service Phone: 605-859-2840 E-mail: adele.harty@sdstate.edu ******************************************** ECONOMICS COMMENTATOR ******************************************** Economics Department    South Dakota State University           Phone: 605-688-4141 Box 504   Scobey Hall             Fax:   605-688-6386 Brookings, SD 57007-0895    E-Mail: Penny.Stover@ sdstate.edu  125  copies of this newsletter were produced at a cost of less than $100                                 

Evaluating Women in Agriculture Training Programs in South Dakota

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Evaluating Women in Agriculture Training Programs in South Dakota

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