Even though just 2% of Americans farm, it seems everyone has an opinion of how it should be done– how crops should be grown, how the land should be managed, how animals should be raised.

Strong opinions about agriculture can be found everywhere, from social media to the corner café. How can you navigate this “message minefield” and get your story of agriculture told where it needs to be heard, beyond the fence row of your farm?

Join Tama County Women, Land & Legacy and Iowa Farm Bureau’s Laurie Johns for “Connecting Past the Fence Row.” This event will be held on Thursday, November 8 at the State Bank of Toledo Community Room, 103 S. Broadway in Toledo. Dessert and registration will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the event following at 7:00.

Laurie Johns has decades of experience helping farmers share their story of agriculture, building trust with consumers and community influencers. She has been Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s manager of public relations since December 2004 and is the award-winning producer and anchor of Iowa Minute, which is seen in TV markets across the state. Iowa Minute is just one tool used to help Iowa consumers understand the diversity and innovation of today’s agriculture. Prior to working for Iowa Farm Bureau, Laurie was an Emmy-winning broadcast journalist who worked first in radio and then television and was an anchor/reporter at TV-13 in Des Moines for 15 years. She graduated from Iowa State University and grew up on a Century Farm, a grain and livestock farm in Wright County.

An RSVP is preferred by November 7 by phoning Mel at 641-484-2702, ext. 305 or by emailing her at melody.bro@ia.nacdnet.net .

This event is free and open to the general public, both women and men.

Tama County Women, Land & Legacy began in 2007, part of a statewide USDA outreach project. This is the group’s 34th local event. Women, Land & Legacy is currently active in thirty Iowa counties and brings together Iowan women interested in agriculture, local food and natural resources to converse, listen and become empowered for involvement on their landscape and in their communities.

Persons needing accommodations to participate in this event should contact 641-484-2702, ext. 305, TDD# or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 or melody.bro@ia.nacdnet.net at least 48 hours prior to the event. USDA is an equal opportunity employer, provider, and lender. USDA and Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or disability.

A little background:

WLL is a grassroots outreach program of the USDA and is geared toward women interested in the land and/or agriculture.  It began in 2004 and is currently active in nearly 30 Iowa counties.  This is a program unique to Iowa, but several states are considering modeling programs after Iowa’s WLL program.

Tama County’s involvement in WLL began with its initial meeting in February 2007.  The goal of this event was to allow women to share their experiences in farming, their dreams for the land, and what is necessary to meet their needs as landowners and operators.  Thus began a list of topics those attending wanted more information on.  This list is growing continuously and is being used to develop our local Women, Land & Legacy programming.