November conference to bring workshops, networking to women in ag

Published on September 25, 2023

As if managing the CSU-Weld County Extension Office didn’t keep her busy enough, with 4-H, the Weld County Fair and all of the other programming offered through her office, Extension Director Hannah Swanbom and her team have embarked on a new project meant to benefit women in agriculture across Colorado.

“Agriculture, in all of its forms, is vital to our state’s economy,” said Swanbom. “But women in agriculture often face obstacles that can make running a farm, ranching operation or agribusiness a bit more of challenge – from securing grants and funding to being able to connect with learning resources.”

To encourage women to not only be sustainable in their agricultural endeavors but also to be as successful as possible, Swanbom and her staff are organizing a Women in Agriculture Conference, to be held Nov. 17 and 18 at the Island Grove Event Center.

The two-day conference, which will feature speakers, workshops and networking opportunities, is the first for Weld County and one that Swanbom hopes continues and grows across the state.

“It makes a lot of sense to develop this conference here in Weld County. In Weld, our agricultural roots run deep, and if we can bring together resources and people to make sure agriculture continues to thrive in Colorado, we’re happy to support it,” said Commissioner Chair Mike Freeman.

To learn more about the conference as well as to register, please visit their website at coloradowomeninag.weld.gov. Sponsorship and vendor opportunities are also available; information about those opportunities can be found on that that website, as well.

Speakers

Kathay Rennels - Interim CSU Extension President

Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson - Director of AgNext

Kai Miranda -  Colorado Cattleman’s Agricultural Land Trust

Sylvia Hickenlooper - NRCS Area Resource Conservationist for Planning

Mary Ellen Cannon - NRCS Resource Soil Scientist

Ellis Vidmar - Colorado AgrAbilities

Whitney Pennington - High Plains Intermountain Center for Agricultural Health

Karen Hostetler - Mountain Meadow Wool

Helen Skiba - Artemis Flower Farm and Treehouse Farm Collective

Sally Jones-Diamond - CSU Crops Testing, Farmer

Libby Bigler - CSU Beef Quality Assurance