BROOKINGS — South Dakota State University Extension will host an Annie’s Project series for women in agriculture this fall in Colton.

Annie’s Project is designed to empower women in agriculture through education, networking and resources. The program helps women build the confidence to become more involved in their family’s agricultural enterprises.

The classes are from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 15, Oct. 22, Oct. 29 and Nov. 4, Nov. 12 and Nov. 19 at the Taopi Community Center in Colton. Registration is $150 per person, which includes a meal at each session. To register, visit the SDSU Extension Events page and search “Annie.”

Over a six-week period, participants will learn about financial records, marketing, retirement, estate planning, range management and develop key communication skills — all while having fun in a supportive learning environment.

In this series, Heather Gessner, SDSU Extension livestock business management field specialist, will talk about marketing, and Lorna Saboe-Wounded Head, SDSU Extension family resource management field specialist, will talk about financial management.

Saboe-Wounded Head said speakers from state agencies and agricultural businesses will also present information throughout the series, while giving participants a chance to ask questions they may not feel comfortable asking in other environments.

“In addition to learning about types of risk, Annie’s Project is a great way to get to know other women who are dealing with the same issues,” she said. “It is an opportunity to talk about concerns, share ideas, and ask questions to learn more about how others manage their operation.”

SDSU Extension hosts Annie’s Project sessions at various locations throughout South Dakota. The next classes will be hosted in Eagle Butte starting Oct. 28.

Annie’s Project is based on the life of a farm woman, Annie Fleck, who spent her lifetime learning how to be an involved business partner with her husband. She died in 1997 and was the inspiration for her daughter, Ruth Fleck Hambleton, to create Annie’s Project in 2003. Hambleton was a Farm Business Management and Marketing Educator for University of Illinois Extension.

For more information, contact Saboe-Wounded Head at 605-782-3290 or Lorna.WoundedHead@sdstate.edu.