the ofn
ag-visors
Advice from
the professionals
Women In Ag
D
View inventory and prices at billgrantford.com
By Jessica Allan
o a Google search for women in agriculture and you will get some interesting results. Some “also asked” questions include what is a female farmer called (I did laugh at this one, but a farmerette is the correct terminology), how long have women been in agriculture, what is women’s role in agriculture, and what kind of problems do women face in agriculture? Jessica Allan is an First, the obvious. Women have been involved in agAVP, commercial riculture from the very beginning. Agriculture was born relationship manager out of the necessity of the human body to eat for survival. at Guaranty Bank in What we view as traditional agriculture today is just an Carthage and evolution of the hunter-gatherer. And women have been Neosho, Mo. She is involved from the get-go, whether as part the tribe, the involved in raising family farm, or a multi-million-dollar operation. cattle on her family’s Which leads to the next question. As a lender in a rufarm in Newton ral community, I have encountered many variations of County and is an women in agriculture. Some are full time, hands on, head active alum of the decision makers in production agriculture. Some work in Crowder College Aggie Club. She may town and help their partner in the evenings and on the be reached at weekends. Some own feed stores, run farmers markets, jallan@gbankmo.com. or manage grain elevators for large corporations. Others head marketing departments or manage local and national agricultural media. Of course, there are hurdles in agriculture. The major hurdle is cost, especially when it comes to production agriculture. Land is a finite resource and thereby continues to increase in price. Most projects require a 10 to 20 percent equity injection to start. And there is the cost of obtaining knowledge. For the tangible costs, there are some programs and funding specifically targeted towards women in agriculture. FSA is one of the governmental agencies with such programs and available funding, but the Small Business Administration is often an overlooked resource. The SBA has funding and programs available specifically for women. Each agency and program has different eligibility requirements and terms, therefore it is highly recommended that each operator work with the local agency, their financial advisor, and lender to find the best fit. Another cost is knowledge. It takes time, effort and sometimes funding. But being successful in agriculture does not require a PhD. Some of the best operators learn by doing, because they grew up in the industry or became successful through trial and error. The commonality they share is they never stop learning or being creative to try and achieve better results. These are the women using their local extension office, going through Annie’s Project, taking classes at the local college, and investing in a network. Yes, networking! Most women are social creatures. They want to engage and get to know one another. So, put that desire to good use. Networking is just engaging with others, exchanging ideas, learning who does what and how that can help the individuals and the agricultural community. Of course, networking can come with pressure to join societies and boards. Be selective in how you invest your time to develop the relationships and skills needed to benefit you and your desired path in agriculture. So, are women in agriculture? Yes. Are they important to agriculture? Definitely. Are there hurdles to face? For sure. Can we make it happen? Absolutely! Is it worth it? For those of us who live and breathe the agricultural way of life, we’d have it no other way.
JULY 4, 2022
NEW VEHICLES
2022 Ford F150 4x4 - Longbd XL, 5.0 Liter, White .................$41,025 *Price after dealer discount & Ford Motor public rebates. Additional private offers may be available. See dealer for details.
PRE-OWNED TRUCKS
2004 Ford F350 4x4 Supercab Dual Rear Wheel - 6-Speed, Deweze, 6.0 Liter, White, 206341 .......................................................$15,800 2019 Ford F350 4x4 Crewcab - Longbed, XLT, 6.2 Liter, White, 32,479 ....................................................................................$54,900 2019 Ford F350 4x4 Crewcab Dual Rear Wheel - Lariat, 6.7 Liter, White, 57,305 ........................................................................$72,500 2017 Ford F350 4x4 Crewcab - Shortbed, Lariat, 6.2 Liter, White, 79,774 ....................................................................................$52,500 2014 Chevy K2500 4x4 Crewcab - Shortbed, LT, 6.6 Liter, Red, 69,792 ....................................................................................$45,900 2019 Ford F150 4x4 Supercab - XLT, 3.3 Liter, White, 13,045 ............ ...............................................................................................$37,800 2018 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - XLT, 302A, 5.0 Liter, Magna, 48,212 ....... ...............................................................................................$35,400 2018 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - XL, FX4, 3.5 Leb, White, 35,179 ............. ...............................................................................................$37,900 2015 Ram 1500 4x4 Club Cab - Big Horn, 5.7 Liter, Blue, 135,124 .... ...............................................................................................$20,500 2013 Ford Supercrew 4x4 - King Ranch, 3.5 Leb, White, 126,988 ...... ...............................................................................................$23,500 2015 Ford Explorer 4x4 - XLT, 7-pass, 3.5 Liter, Red, 110,120 ........... ...............................................................................................$18,500
BILL GRANT
S. Business Rt. 13 • Bolivar • 326-7671
Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
21
