03/27/08 Annual Washington Women and Agriculture Conference

Washington Ag March 27, 2008 The Annual Washington Women and Agriculture Conference is scheduled for April 18th and 19th in Wenatchee. The event is sponsored by Washington State University Extension in cooperation with a number of local and statewide sponsors and this year's program theme is "Cultivating Our Reality." Margaret Viebrock, WSU Douglas County Extension Director, says the conference is for women who have any role in agriculture, whether they own the land, farm the land, are a partner or have the off-the farm job to support the farm. Viebrock: "Our keynote speaker is Elaine Froese from Canada and she is going to talk about issues related to power, family and ownership and retirement and trust and fairness within the family. Then we have a series of workshops on water rights, balancing your live, if you are thinking about going organic, how to write a business plan, marketing, insecurity and a variety of things that way." The registration cost is $20 a person. Viebrock: "A lot of times people don't like to go anywhere by themselves and so they can bring a guest for $10 along with them." Registration information is available at www.ncw.wsu.edu/family or call Viebrock at 509-745-8531. I'm Bob Hoff.