Annie's Project is a six-week virtual experience designed especially for farm women.

Risk Management for Farm Women

Monday, November 3, 2025, 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Monday, December 8, 2025, 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Are you a woman engaged in farming in NYS? Would you like to learn and network with other farm women, and learn how to strengthen your farming operation? Join Cornell Cooperative Extensions of Albany, Allegany, Broome, Schoharie-Otsego, Tioga, and Onondaga counties, for a virtual Annie's Project this winter as we explore these topics and help you grow your toolbox!

Annie's Project is a six-week virtual experience designed especially for farm women to help them develop their management and decision-making skills for their farms. Annie’s Project is designed for farm women who have been in farming, or agri-business, or part of the food system for three to five years, and want to develop their understanding, interpretation, and opportunities in sustainable agriculture. Annie’s Project gives farm women the opportunity to learn from female agricultural professionals and network with other women in similar situations.

Annie’s Project provides education in production, price or market, financial, institutional and legal, and human and personal risk. At the end of six weeks, participants will possess the following skills sets:

Understand personality types to communicate better with business partners
Put family living expenses together with other costs of doing business on the farm
Identify production risks on-farm and prioritize risk management strategies to minimize losses
Interpret balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow projections to make business decisions
Confidence in review of labor laws, requirements, and their implications
Develop an inventory of current Human Capitol & make a plan to address any weaknesses and contingency plan if a ‘position’ becomes open
Understand farm family labor vs off farm labor. how to offer benefits & when it’s time to hire outside help
Communicate expectations of family vs hired labor
Understand insurance options to cover Human Resource concerns
Understand how assets are titled and learn about estate planning tools
Consider and evaluate available marketing opportunities
Understand how to distinguish your commodity
Understand tools and resources for stress management & farm equipment needs specific to farm women

The cost is $50 for the series and includes a portfolio, access to all presentations and worksheets, access to financial and legal advice, and support from a variety of community partners. The series will take place on Mondays from 1-3:30pm. The first session, November 3rd, and final session, December 8th will be in person to help kickstart connections with farm women in your region as we explore communication styles and methods of communication. We encourage participants to choose their closest Cornell Cooperative Extension office for these in-person sessions, or participate virtually the entire series.

For more information on the curriculum and program logistics, please contact Laura Biasillo at lw257@cornell.edu.