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There's still time to register for the 2005 Women in Sustainable Agriculture Conference: A Celebration of Hope & Opportunity. The conference will be held October 21-23 at the Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center in Burlington, Vermont. Regular registration rates have been extended through September 23. After that date, registrations will be subject to a $50 late fee.

The conference will provide multiple opportunities for farmers, ranchers, educators, agricultural service providers and activists to explore ways to expand the success of women farmers. Conference participants will share educational and organizational strategies; build production, business and leadership skills; and explore cultural and policy issues that affect the experience and success of women in agriculture. The conference will also set the agenda for the next decade of supporting female agricultural entrepreneurs.

Featured speakers include Frances Moore Lappe, whose 1971 bestseller Diet for a Small Planet awakened a generation to the human-made causes of hunger.  Activist and Native American Pamela Kingfisher, whose mesmerizing story-telling is rooted in her Cherokee, agricultural heritage will provide the closing address.

Participants will choose from 38 workshops featuring speakers from around the country. Topics include production, marketing, and business planning and development information relevant to small-scale farming; advocacy and leadership skill-building sessions; and roundtable sessions where participants can share and learn from each other's experiences. Exhibits will provide additional opportunities to gather information and learn from each other.

Throughout, conference meals will feature locally grown food that reflects the bounty of Vermont's harvest season. Networking is woven throughout the conference to celebrate the experience that each participant brings and explore ways to combine resources for greater success.

For attendees who want a more intensive learning experience, the conference offers a special, business development and marketing track. This "Grow Your Business" (GYB) track is essentially a "conference-within-the-conference," designed to help farmers who have made it through start-up and now want to strengthen their business  for long-term sustainability.

"If you are assessing what parts of your business need more attention, whether to diversify, how to boost profitability or whether changes in management or marketing structure are needed, this track may be for you," says Mary Peabody, director of the Women's Agricultural Network. Participants who complete this track will be eligible for follow-up technical assistance and reimbursement for up to $150 in professional services as part of a Northeast Center for Risk Management Education grant.

The conference registration fee is $175 for registrations received by September 23. The fee includes five meals and access to all conference sessions and workshops. There is no extra charge for the GYB track. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The conference is hosted by the University of Vermont Women's Agricultural Network (WAgN) a program that assists women interested in farming and agriculture-related businesses. It was one of the first programs in the US to focus on female farmers and their needs.

Sponsors include: The Northeast Center for Risk Management Education, USDA Farm Service Agency, The Vermont Women's Fund, The Northeast Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program, The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, University of Vermont Center for Sustainable Agriculture, University of Vermont Extension, Organic Valley/CROPP, the Ben & Jerry's Foundation, the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, the Pennsylvania Women's Agricultural Network, the University of Arkansas, the Women, Food and Agriculture Network (Iowa), Heifer Project International, the University of Vermont Women's Center.

Find out more about the conference and/or register on-line at www.regonline.com/womeinagconference or contact the conference organizer at 802-223-2389 x15 to request a paper registration form.

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Beth Holtzman
Women's Agricultural Network

617 Comstock Rd.
Berlin, VT 05602

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802-223-2389 ext. 15
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