The Beginning Women Farmer Training Program in Texas began in August 2012 when funding from the USDA/NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (Grant #2012-49400-1963)was awarded to HMI to train 360 beginning women farmers over the next 3 years in 7 states. 30 women were accepted into the Texas program for the 2012-2013 program year and 28 completed the program successfully. The State Coordinator was Peggy Cole and the instructor was Peggy Sechrist. Program mentors were Peggy Maddox, Kathy Harris, Betsy Ross, and Laurie Bostic. At the end of each of the 10 sessions (6-8 hours in length and held over 5 two-day periods) participants filled out evaluations to measure knowledge and attitude change, intended behavior change, and actual change. There was a final program evaluation that also measured these changes with the whole program in mind and the changes and results of those changes that took place over a seven-month period.
The data below demonstrates that a high level of knowledge and attitude change occurred and that the women completed or modified numerous farm plans (actual behavior change) which resulted in many benefits. Most participants experienced increased confidence in key farm/ranch management practices (90-97% participants). Participant behavior change was mostly in the 90-100% range where there was sufficient time for developing plans or taking action during the program. Additional survey and evaluations will be done in a year to determine continued behavior change and additional benefits that result from that change.
In 8 out of the 10 sessions 100% of the participants noted knowledge change. That knowledge change varied depending on content of sessions, but key content area change was in the 85-157% range. Interestingly, large levels of knowledge change did not always correlate to high levels of satisfaction with a given session (although overall satisfaction with sessions were 86% or higher).
Demographics
Of the 30 participants the following demographics were:Average 4.8 years of farming (range: 1 – 10 years with only 2 having one or less years of experience)42,734 acres under production (range: 1 – 34,000 acres with a median of 80 acres)Race: 3% Hispanic, 97% Anglo Age: 60% over 50, 40% under 50 Farming Experience: 100% less than 10 years experience Total customers of all participants: 1,13527 were livestock producers, 9 were small scale vegetable/fruit producers, and 3 were large crop production (some did two different types of operation)
These demographics suggest that this program (over a 3-year period in 7 states) will result in 14,400 more customers having access to a sustainable food system as these women increase their knowledge, continue to plan more effectively and implement those plans so that they improve their ability to manage all resources (human, financial, and natural).
Key Programmatic Outcomes
The knowledge gained, the confidence built, and the intentions to implement actions show that the sessions were very effective in educating the participants. Likewise, the high numbers of expressed satisfaction (ranging from 86 – 97% for all sessions) indicate that the participants felt the program was successful. See the following tables for key areas of knowledge, confidence, intended behavior change, actual behavior change, and subsequent results of that behavior change due to this program.
Top Areas of Increased Farmer/Rancher Confidence Due to Program | |
Topic Area | % of Participants |
Human Resource Management |
|
Managing time on the farm | 97% |
Making complex decisions on the farm | 93% |
Developing and writing whole farm goals | 91% |
Implementing strategic systems and projects | 91% |
Providing leadership on the farm | 86% |
Financial Resource Management |
|
Identifying logjams and adverse factors | 97% |
Developing a business plan | 96% |
Prioritizing and cutting farm expenses to guide re-investment | 93% |
Getting profit from the farm | 93% |
Identifying cash flow issues on farm | 93% |
Determining weak link in farm enterprises | 90% |
Assessing the competition | 88% |
Developing a marketing plan that meets your farm goals | 88% |
Determining viable profitable enterprises | 87% |
Monitoring financial plan | 83% |
Natural Resource Management |
|
Assessing recovery periods in grazing systems | 97% |
Determining residency periods in grazing systems | 96% |
Monitoring farm eco-system health | 96% |
Ability to prioritize land infrastructure improvements | 96% |
Ability to incorporate natural resource issues into land planning | 96% |
Improving soil eco-system health on the farm | 93% |
Top Areas of Actual Behavior Change Due to Program | |
Plans Created/Action Taken | % of Participants |
Holistic Goal/Whole Farm Plan | 100% |
Forge Relationships that Positively Impact Farmer | 100% |
Holistic Decision Making | 96% |
Financial Plan | 93% |
Business Plan | 90% |
Land Plan | 90% |
Grazing Plan (of those raising livestock) | 84% |
Biological Monitoring | 80% |
Top Areas Outcomes Achieved Due to Program | |
Outcome Areas | % of Participants |
Human Resource Management |
|
Improved ability to make complex decisions | 100% |
More efficient use of resources | 97% |
Improved decision-making | 97% |
Better ability to determine resources available for management | 97% |
Clearer sense of what farm is managing towards | 97% |
Higher quality of life | 90% |
Better communication | 93% |
Improved time management | 93% |
Improved communications on the farm | 87% |
Financial Resource Management |
|
Increased ability to determine profit | 100% |
New record keeping systems | 90% |
Improved ability to incorporate social, environmental, and financial information into land plan | 90% |
Increased understanding of your farm finances | 87% |
Ability to prioritize expenses | 87% |
Improved ability to prioritize land/infrastructure investments | 87% |
Knowledge Change Summary | |
Sessions | % of Participants Experiencing Knowledge Change |
On Farm Decision Making/Time Management | 100% |
Financial Planning | 100% |
Enterprise Analysis/Cash Flow | 100% |
Marketing Planning | 100% |
Business Planning | 100% |
Leadership/Communication | 100% |
Land Planning | 100% |
Grazing Planning | 100% |
Whole Farm Goal | 97% |
Soil Fertility/Biological Monitoring | 89% |
Top Knowledge Change Areas | |
Knowledge Areas | Based on self-assessed knowledge increase |
Human Resource Management |
|
Ability to Implement Systems and Projects to Move Towards Whole Farm Goal | 91% |
Assess How Time is Spent on Farm | 85% |
Financial Resource Management |
|
Design Strategies to Build Resilient, Diversified Farms | 116% |
How to Incorporate Social/Legal/Contractual into Land Planning | 111% |
Ability to Develop a Business Plan for Farm | 111% |
Prioritize Land and Infrastructure Development/Investments | 110% |
Monitoring Your Financial Plan | 105% |
Ability to Use Financial Plan to Determine Viable Markets for Farm | 105% |
Knowledge of Resources for Developing Strategic Plan for Farm | 100% |
Assess Management Considerations to Guide Land Planning | 95% |
How to Incorporate Natural Resource Issues into Land Planning | 95% |
Getting Profit You Need from Your Farm | 95% |
Prioritizing and Cutting Farm Expenses to Guide Reinvestment | 95% |
Skills in Developing Whole Farm Financial Plan | 91% |
Assessing Farm Cash Flow | 91% |
Ability to Use Whole Farm Goal to Guide Business Strategic Plan | 87% |
Identifying Logjams and Adverse Factors on Farm | 86% |
Using Whole Farm Goal and Financial Plan to Develop Marketing Plan | 82% |
Attitudes Towards Value of Having a Business Plan to Guide Farm | 80% |
Profitably Price Products and Services | 77% |
Natural Resource Management |
|
How to Determine Grazing Periods | 157% |
How to Assess Recovery Periods | 157% |
How to Determine the Number of Paddocks | 154% |
How to Determine Number of Animals Your Pasture Can Support | 100% |
How to Assess Quantity of Forage in Pasture | 95% |
How to Improve Land Health with Livestock | 91% |
Value of Grazing Planning | 90% |
Indicators of a Healthy Farm Eco-System | 83% |
Participant Satisfaction | ||
Session | % of Participants Rating Class as Good or Excellent | |
Leadership/Communication | 97% | |
Business Planning | 96% | |
Land Planning | 96% | |
Enterprise Analysis/Cash Flow | 93% | |
Biological Monitoring | 93% | |
Whole Farm Goal | 91% | |
Grazing Planning | 89% | |
Marketing | 88% | |
Financial Planning | 87% | |
Decision Testing/Time Management | 86% |
Participant Quotes
“There has been a constant & rich exchange of information: books, enterprises. I now have methods & materials to improve my land that match my holistic goal where before I was stuck.”[This program has] “given me new ideas & resources to improve my own farm systems, given me confidence in my own abilities & encouragement that I, too, can farm (ranch).”[I have a] “network of resources developed within BWFRTX group and new business relationships developed from doing program exercises.”[The] “women (mentors & trainees) have helped me w/ranch decisions, made on-site visits to consult about pasture & orchard management and offered resources I have used to increase pasture productivity.”“Creating this community of farmers should be continued/funded given we are improving farm efficiencies and can provide leadership to new area farmers.”
Conclusions
Based on the data and response from participants, HMI’s ability to take this program from the Northeast U.S. to Texas was successful due to program structure and curriculum, support and connection between Northeast State Coordinators and Texas State Coordinator, and current capacity of Holistic Management practitioners/mentors and instructors. To build a sustainable program will require the training of additional mentor/educator resource which will take place in years two and three of this grant program.