Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- Students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and the public will have the opportunity to learn about topics concerning women in agriculture at the Heart of the Farm conference. It will be held Nov. 15 at the Grant County Extension Building in Lancaster from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Organized by the Regional Dairy Modernization Task Force, the conference is also an opportunity for attendees to connect to agricultural resources and develop support networks.

"The biggest value of this conference is the networking. These women can talk to other women who are in the same situation," said Joy Kirkpatrick, outreach specialist for the UW Center for Dairy Profitability.

Kirkpatrick will lead the first session, which is a facilitated discussion about balancing farm, family and personal priorities.

Following, attendees will learn about hiring and managing agriculture employees in Wisconsin. Todd Pfeil of Pfeil and Millonzi, LLC will educate participants about interviewing and applications, overtime, hours of work, wage payment requirements, child labor, minimum wage, unemployment and workers compensation.

Attendees will then have the opportunity to learn about wellness, nutrition and fitness from Daneen Bernhardt, registered nurse and certified Tai Chi instructor and Tracy Ackerman, registered dietician, certified diabetes educator and registered clinical exercise physiologist at the Grant County Regional Health Center. Bernhardt will teach the basics of Tai Chi and Ackerman will educate participants on nutrition and exercise.

The conference will continue with, "Ask the Marketer." Attendees may ask questions of Karen Voigts, hedge specialist of First Capital Ag of Galena, Ill., and Kevin Bernhardt, professor of agribusiness at UWP and UW-Extension farm risk management specialist. Voigts and Bernhardt will also do an overview of price risk management and tools to manage price risk. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions of Dr. Jennifer Rediske, of Veterinary Associates of Hazel Green in the session following.

The day concludes with an agricultural jeopardy game. Katie Reichling and UWP students will quiz participants on agricultural issues, music and agriculture, agriculture in the media and agriculture statistics.

Registration for the Heart of the Farm conference is $15 in advance and $25 at the door. Anyone wanting more information or to register may contact Jodi McDermott, coordinator of recruitment, retention and marketing for the UWP School of Agriculture, at (608) 342-1366 ormcdermoj@uwplatt.edu.

Contact: Jodi McDermott, coordinator of recruitment, retention and marketing, UWP School of Agriculture, (608) 342-1366, mcdermoj@uwplatt.edu. Written by: Krystle Kurdi, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, kurdik@uwplatt.edu