Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference

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Registration Options

• Early Bird Registration: Secure your spot before February 7, 2025, and enjoy our special rate of $150 for two full days of conference access.
• Standard Registration: Register on or after February 8, 2025, for just $175 for two days.
• One-Day Registration: Join us for a single day at a rate of $90.
• Guest Pass: Accompany a registered attendee and gain access to meals for just $25 per meal. Note: Guest registrations are available only in conjunction with a One-Day or Two-Day Registration. 

We understand that plans can change. Here’s our cancellation policy to help you make your decision:

• Full Refund: Cancellations made by February 16, 2025, will receive a 100% refund.
• Partial Refund: Cancellations made between February 17 and February 18, 2025, will receive a 50% refund.
• No Refund: Cancellations made on or after February 19, 2025, will not be eligible for a refund.

In order to simplify the payment and reimbursement process, we only accept credit card payments. 

Want to send your students, clients, or employees? Let us simplify the process for you. Request a custom promo code, and your students, clients, or employees can easily register themselves for the conference. After the event, we’ll send you an invoice for all registrations made using your code. Email us at wia@unl.edu for more information. 

We're excited to offer you an exclusive rate for the 2025 Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference! Call the Holiday Inn Convention Center at 308-237-5971 to book your stay.

Our room block is limited and in high demand. You can secure your accommodations as soon as possible to make sure they're available and take advantage of our special rate, $124.95/night. The hotel cannot be responsible for reservations made through any third party. Rates shown are per room, per night, and do not include applicable taxes.

Holiday Inn Convention Center

110 South 2nd Ave Kearney, NE 

308-237-5971 

Let us simplify the process for you. Request a custom promo code, and your students, clients, or employees can easily register themselves for the conference. After the event, we’ll send you an invoice for all registrations made using your code. Email us at wia@unl.edu for more information.

Student Scholarship Application

The 2025 Scholarship Application is due 2/1/2025.  

The Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference will award up to 15 scholarships to students to attend the 2025 Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference.

Any student attending a 4-year college/university, 2-year college, vocational/technical school, or 4-H or FFA member may apply for a scholarship to attend the conference.

Applicants will need to prepare a short essay on "Why do you want to attend the Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference?" The essay response is limited to 3,000 characters.

Applications must be submitted online by midnight February 1, 2025. Scholarship recipients will be notified of their application status no later than February 7, 2025.

Student Scholarship Application

Producer Scholarship Application 

The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition is looking for ways to help producers attend impactful educational events related to generational transition. If you have an event that you would like to attend to learn more about planning for the next generation, please complete this form to apply for one of ten educational scholarship funds for up to $500 awarded annualy. Expenses can include registration fees, mileage, hotel and meals needed to attend events.

Questions about producer scholarships can be sent to angela@nebraskagrazinglands.org

Producer Scholarship Application 

We no longer print workshop handouts. As the event approaches, please keep an eye on your email and our website for instructions on accessing the handouts.

Printable Workshop Descriptions

2025 Women in Ag Conference Workshop Descriptions

Session 1, Thursday 11:00 A.M.-12:15 P.M.

1. Failure to Plan, Failure to Farm

Katie Samples Dean—Samples Dean Law, LLC, Lawyer

If you fail to plan for the future of your operation, you are failing to farm. Katie will discuss what the potential issues are, what you can do to plan successfully and how to implement the plan. Note: This workshop repeats in session 4.

2. Packer's Paybook

Corbitt Wall—DV Auction, Commercial Cattle Manager and Livestock Market Analyst

A discussion about the history and the future of cattle marketing.

3. Soil Savvy: Understanding Soil Testing & Results

Bethany Johnston—Nebraska Extension, Livestock Systems Extension Educator

Unlock the mysteries beneath your feet!

Join us for an engaging workshop where you’ll discover the essentials of soil testing. Learn how to:

• Texture your soil and determine where to sample in your field
• Use a soil probe for sample collection
• Properly send soil samples to a lab for analysis
• Choose the right tests to run and interpret the results

Bring a copy of your soil test results for personalized insights. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding of soil health and improve your farming practices!

4. Options for Integrating Crops and Livestock

Karla Wilke—Nebraska Extension, Cow/Calf Stocker Cattle Management Extension Specialist

Diversifying income helps mitigate risk. This workshop will discuss ways to incorporate cattle into a farming operation even when pastures are limited as well as evaluating the workload balance.

5. Pioneering Your Health Success

Patti Bolli Gideon, PT—Valley County Health System, Physical Therapist

This course will be full of health information and fun! Please wear some comfortable clothing as there will be movement involved in this class. We will focus on several areas of health for Women in Ag ranging from core exercises to lymphatic cleansing. How to decrease your body's toxic load to family health. We will cover many areas of health that will allow all participants to leave with several things they can take home and implement right away for your improved health.

 Session 2, Thursday 1:30 P.M.-2:45 P.M.

1. Exploring the Ruminant Digestive System 

Erin Laborie—Nebraska Extension, Livestock Systems Extension Educator

Brent Plugge—Nebraska Extension, Livestock Systems Extension Educator

Randy Saner—Nebraska Extension, Livestock Systems Extension Educator

Cows are ruminant animals with a complex digestive system. Understanding the basics of ruminant anatomy and physiology can help meet the cow’s nutrient requirements more efficiently through strategic feeding. Learn about the complexities of the ruminant digestive system using a ruminally fistulated heifer in this hands-on session. NOTE: Please make sure to dress for the weather as this workshop will take place both inside AND outside the convention center.   

2. Overcoming the “Grain Marketing Mind Game”

Jessica Groskopf—Nebraska Extension, Agricultural Economics Cropping Systems Extension Educator

We all breathe a sigh of relief once all of the grain is in the bin. However, it does not take long for the relief to turn to anxiety as we begin think about marketing the crop. This anxiety occurs at the intersection of how much we spent per bushel to grow the crop, what the market will offer, and how long we can hold it, hoping for prices to rise. Join us for this insightful workshop, where we'll tackle what I call the “Grain Marketing Mind Game.” I’ll share five effective strategies to help you confidently navigate the marketing landscape, empowering you to make informed decisions that align with your goals. Don’t let uncertainty keep you up at night—let’s turn that anxiety into actionable insights!

3. Prevention Plates: Reduce Your Risk in the Kitchen

Hannah Guenther—Nebraska Extension, Rural Health Extension Educator

The food you eat powers every aspect of your body—how you feel, how well your body functions, and even your risk for diseases like cancer. While no single food can eliminate disease risk, a balanced, nutritious diet can significantly reduce your chances of developing cancer and other chronic conditions. Building a healthier eating pattern doesn’t mean a complete diet overhaul! In this session, we’ll explore simple strategies for creating meals that are not only delicious and accessible but also support long-term health and wellness.

4. Sorting through Livestock Risk Protection Insurance

Kimberly Stone—Rural Community Insurance Services, National Livestock Specialist

Take the mystery out of Livestock Risk Protection insurance. Learn exactly how it works and what you need to know as a producer to protect your investment.  

5. Improve Conflict Dynamics for Better Risk Management

Elaine Froese—Farm Family Coach

How powerful would it be for you to uncover your positive conflict behaviors, the destructive ones to let go of, and recognize your hot button triggers? Certified coach Elaine Froese will outline 5 key positive behaviors: creating solutions, expressing emotions, reaching out, adapting, and taking perspective so you can get better at conflict resolution as a business risk management skill. Many folks are struggling with managing transition conflict and unrealistic expectations of roles. This session gives language for navigating the in-law factor expectations, succession tension and understanding the questions needed to get clarity for better conflict resolution. Come prepared to unpack the issues you need to address (via private texting). As a follow-up to this session, participants will have access to the Conflict Dynamic Profile guide, a tool to give clear awareness to farmers, ranchers and risk-takers who want to understand key questions to get better at resolving conflict. Folks who want to do the online assessment before the conference can purchase it at www.elainefroese.com/shop.

Mini Workshop Sessions A & B 

Note: The following six workshops will repeat. Select 2. 

1. Employee Intake and Onboarding for Farmers and Ranchers

Shannon Sand—Nebraska Extension, Agricultural Economics Extension Educator

Effective employee intake and onboarding are crucial for setting the foundation of a positive relationship between farm and ranch managers and their workers. Regardless of any prior connections, onboarding provides new employees with an essential overview of the operation, introduces them to employment policies, and familiarizes them with other team members, suppliers, and their job duties. These steps are vital for clarifying roles and responsibilities, fostering open communication, and supporting employee retention.

2. Growing, and Grazing Grass-Understanding Pasture Management

Aaron Berger—Nebraska Extension, Livestock Systems Extension Educator

On price per cow-calf pair per month or on a price per head per day basis, Nebraska has more valuable summer grass than any other state! Pasture and rangeland make up more than half of our agricultural acres. Understanding what grass you have, what you would like to grow more of, and how to judiciously graze it with livestock will be the focus of this session.

3. How Savvy are your Home Canning Skills?

UNL Food Safety Team—Nebraska Extension, Food, Nutrition, and Health 

Consumer trends and the pandemic have had a large impact on the relevance of home food preservation. As we enjoy a bountiful supply of fresh, good tasting foods through CSA’s, farmers markets, and home gardens; the looming disruption of services and the supply chain were recognized for the need to provide consumers accurate and up-to-date research-based information on food preservation. Consumer growth to sustain cooking at home, consumption of fresh foods, and gardening continues to grow since the pandemic. This has brought an increased need for safe food preservation education throughout Nebraska. Nebraska Extension Food Safety team is helping to ensure the health, safety and food security of all Nebraska communities through their website: https://food.unl.edu

4. Networking with Purpose: Connect & Discover

Amanda Fairley—Amanda Fairley, LLC, Career Coaching and Team Development

In this networking workshop, you will network, collaborate, and connect with intention. Whether you're seeking a new career opportunity or looking to expand your personal or professional network, this session will create space for you to build lasting connections. As the saying goes, “It's not always about what you know, but who you know.” Join Amanda for a focused, fun, and fast-paced networking experience! *Be sure to bring your business cards or create a digital contact card to easily share and exchange contact information.

5. Pesticide Safety and Women’s Health

Amy Timmerman—Nebraska Extension, Cropping Systems Extension Educator

Pesticides are a common tool in agriculture, pest control, and gardening, but when not used safely, they can pose significant risks to health. Women may face unique vulnerabilities to the harmful effects of pesticide exposure due to biological factors and the different ways pesticides interact with the body. The goal of this session is to educate participants on the specific risks that pesticides pose to women’s health, while also providing practical steps to safeguard their health and the well-being of their families and communities. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to handle pesticides safely, and how to reduce exposure for themselves and others, both on the job and at home.

6. The Value of Incorporating Prairie Strips on Farms

Ron Seymour—Nebraska Extension, Cropping Systems Extension Educator

Areas within farm fields have variable capacity to produce a crop. Converting these areas into a conservation practice such as strips of prairie within or adjacent to crop fields can have positive economic and environmental benefits. A discussion of these benefits will illustrate the value of adopting the practice. Successfully establishing and maintaining prairie takes planning and effort. Thus, a roadmap for best practices and expectations will also be discussed.

 Optional Session, Thursday 7:30 P.M.-8:45 P.M.

1. Growing Into Your Vision

Emily Reuschel—Rural Community Builder, Coach, and Speaker 

Ready to ditch the "wouldn't it be nice" and step into the "I'm making it happen?"

Join us for an interactive vision boarding workshop designed to help you map out your future and take the first steps towards making it a reality. Whether you're a returning friend or a curious newcomer, this workshop is all about growing into your dreams and bringing your vision to life.

We'll start by getting clear on what you truly desire. Through guided exercises and worksheets, you'll explore different areas of your life, from family and friends to career and personal growth. Brainstorm your hopes and aspirations, then dive into the fun part: creating your very own vision board!

This isn't just about slapping some pretty pictures on a corkboard. We'll provide you with a step-by-step guide to cutting out images and words that resonate with you, ensuring your board is a powerful visual representation of your goals and aspirations.

In the wrap-up, we'll go beyond the collage itself. We'll discuss how to actively align yourself with the person who already has the things you desire, and explore strategies for turning your vision into a lived reality. This workshop is more than just a fun activity; it's a springboard for growth and transformation.

So, are you ready to step into your best life? Grab your creativity and an open mind, and let's get started!

Session 3, Friday 9:00 A.M.-10:15 A.M.

1. BYO Balance Sheet

Hope Janitscheck, FNBO, Vice President, Agribusiness Banking

A balance sheet doesn’t have to be intimidating—it’s your key to understanding the financial health of your operation. Hope will share her perspective as a producer and as a commercial banker to break down the essentials, from assets and liabilities to equity and working capital, giving you the tools to confidently assess your farm’s financial position. You will also learn cash management strategies and how tools such as a line of credit can help you achieve your goals. Whether you're looking to secure financing, plan for growth, or just gain a clearer picture of your business, this session will demystify the balance sheet and empower you to make smarter, more informed decisions for your farm’s future. **Participants are encouraged but not required to bring a copy of their balance sheet to this session. 

2. Farm Bill Decisions and Directions

Brad Lubben—Nebraska Extension, Policy Extension Specialist

While a new farm bill was put off for another year with a simple extension of existing programs, producers still face a new enrollment decision in 2025. The ARC and PLC will look familiar, but changing support levels in the programs and a changing market outlook could mean changes for producer decisions. The presentation will cover program details, economic analysis, and insights for producer decisions now and in the coming years.

3. Growing Together: Inspiring Collaboration in Rural America

Melissa Nelson— Hungry Canyon, Founder

This workshop is all about bringing people together in rural communities to make cool things happen. We’ll dive into ways to plan events that inspire connection, build collaboration, and strengthen small-town ties. You’ll leave with practical tips, fresh ideas, and the confidence to create events that truly make an impact in your community.

4. Mastering Effective Communication (New Content!)

Lisa Kaslon—Nebraska Extension, Professional Development Coordinator

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful relationships, both personal and professional. This workshop is designed to help you develop and refine the skills necessary to communicate clearly, confidently, and persuasively. Whether you’re looking to improve your communication within a team, enhance your leadership presence, or simply connect better with others, this workshop will equip you with the tools and strategies you need to succeed. Join us to build stronger connections and become a more effective communicator.

5. Why you need an Accrual Analysis of your Business

Tina Barrett—Nebraska Farm Business, Inc., Executive Director

All farms are required to file a tax return but that's not enough to manage your business. Accrual adjustments allow you to really see the financial health of your business which will show up much faster than a tax return. We'll look at why it's important and what you can do with the information to become a better manager of your business.

 Session 4, Friday 10:45 A.M.-12:00 P.M.

1. Failure to Plan, Failure to Farm

Katie Samples Dean—Samples Dean Law, LLC, Lawyer

If you fail to plan for the future of your operation, you are failing to farm. Katie will discuss what the potential issues are, what you can do to plan successfully and how to implement the plan. Note: This workshop is a repeat from session 1.

2. Policy to Premium, Protecting Your Legacy

Kimberly Stone—National Livestock Specialist

Elizabeth Allison—Head of Underwriting

Lurinda Gilliland—Relationship Manager

Danielle Langan—Relationship Manager

Laura Hoesing—District Claims Manager

This RCIS Women in Crop Insurance Panel will walk you through the lifecycle of a crop insurance policy from Sales, Underwriting, to Claims, answering your questions and helping you better understand the safety net for U.S. agriculture producers.

3. Rooted & Rising: Empowering Women in Agriculture

Emily Reuschel—Rural Community Builder, Coach, and Speaker 

Calling all women in agriculture! This workshop is a space designed to cultivate deeper connections and support within your community. We'll celebrate your wins, big and small, and create a safe space to talk through the challenges you face. Together, we'll brainstorm innovative ideas and delve into powerful questions like: Who are you, truly, beyond the demands of your work? What expectations are holding you back? What does an ideal day look like for you, both personally and professionally? This workshop is an opportunity to: Build meaningful relationships with other inspiring women in agriculture. Celebrate your achievements and find strength in shared experiences. Navigate challenges through open discussion and collaborative problem-solving. Spark innovative thinking and generate actionable ideas. Gain clarity on your values and vision for the future. Join us for a day of growth, empowerment, and connection. Leave feeling rooted in your strength and ready to rise to new heights!

4. The ABC’s of Enterprise Budgeting for 2025

Glennis McClure—Nebraska Extension, Farm and Ranch Management Analyst Extension Educator

As we look ahead to 2025, it’s anticipated that some enterprises should provide profitability and others not so much. The Ag Budget Calculator (ABC) program is a free tool that can be used in projecting cost of production for our enterprises and then making decisions from your budgets. Projecting the cost of production for your enterprises can assist in creating a proforma picture of whole farm profitability. This session will provide an overview of how to use ABC and what you can glean from enterprise budgeting. 

5. Understanding Cash Rental Rates & Key Lease Provisions

Anastasia Meyer—Nebraska Extension, Agricultural Profitability Extension Educator

This workshop provides valuable insights into current cash rental rates and essential lease provisions for farmland owners and tenants. Participants will learn practical strategies to negotiate fair rental agreements, understand market trends, and incorporate important terms to protect their interests.