Kentucky Agricultural News: Conference Scholarships Available for ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sandra Gardner, KWIA Reporter
(502) 330-9106
spgardner2000@roadrunner.comConference Scholarships Available for Beginning Farmers
Deadline to Apply Oct. 14

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 28, 2011) – Kentucky Women in Agriculture in partnership with the Kentucky Farm Start Program is offering special conference scholarships for beginning farmers who wish to concentrate the 12th Annual Conference: Our Farms to Your Home to be held October 27 & 28 at the Crowne Plaza-Campbell House in Lexington, Ky.

"Working with Kentucky Farm Start is a fantastic opportunity to nurture women who are beginning to farm," said Sharon Furches, KWIA president. "It gives our veteran members an opportunity to mentor younger farmers and provides beginning farmers the tools to increase their chances for success in their farm operations."

For the purposes of this program a beginning farmer is someone with 10 years or less farming experience. Persons interested in taking advantage of these special conference scholarships should fill out both the 2011 Conference Registration Form and the special conference scholarship form. Both should be submitted by Oct. 14, as directed on the special scholarship form.

Seminars for the conference will include diversified and innovative farming, agriculture advocacy and innovative food systems. The conference also features "The Taste of Kentucky Proud" reception, district networking and inspirational speaker Missy Jenkins Smith. A pre-conference farm tour is intended for Wednesday, Oct. 26. The tour will allow guests to experience area farm enterprises. The tour is limited to the first 40 registrants.

The University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University in collaboration with KWIA and the Kentucky Beef Network launched Kentucky Farm Start in 2010 with funding through the USDA Beginning Farmer Program. The program targets farmers with 10 years or less of farming experience.

This intensive education program is designed as a whole farm management education program for beginning farmers, providing a basic foundation of production, marketing, management, and networking which are necessary for beginning farmers to succeed in today's dynamic agriculture environment.

For more information about the 12th Annual KWIA Conference or to register as a beginning farmer, visit the KWIA website at

www.kywomeninag.com or contact by e-mail at info@kywomeninag.com or by phone at 877-266-8823.

For more information about Kentucky Farm Start Program, visit

http://www.ca.uky.edu/kyfarmstart/beginfarm.php or contact Sarah Lovett at 859-257-7272 ext. 281. This project was supported by the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA, Grant 2009-49400-05944.

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Kentucky women have been working to make a difference in agriculture for many years. In 1999, the Kentucky Agricultural Women’s Leadership Network was established to enhance these efforts. Since that time, the network has grown and evolved. In July 2003, articles of incorporation and bylaws were filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State to launch a new, nonprofit organization – Kentucky Women in Agriculture Inc.

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