Cleburne & Independence Counties Bootcamp for Cattlewomen
Extension Education
Amy Heck
County Extension Agent - Staff Chair/ Agriculture
United States
Heber Springs
Abstract
Cleburne & Independence Counties Bootcamp for Cattlewomen
Amy Heck, Michelle Mobley
Women contribute greatly to agricultural and rural society because of the roles they play on and off the farm. Since the early 1980s women’s roles on farms have been expanding to include more decision-making and hands-on participation. According to the USDA more minorities and women became primary operators of farms and ranches in the past decade as the total number of farms and ranches across the nation decreased by about 3%. The objective behind the bootcamp was to empower women in the agriculture sector by giving them an opportunity to learn the day-to-day, hands-on skills they need to make informed decisions on their beef cattle operation. The camp took place at the Cow Palace at Chimney Rock Cattle Company in Concord and at the Arkansas Agriculture Experiment Station, Livestock and Forestry Station in Batesville. Thirty-five women from 7 counties and 3 states attended the bootcamp. The event kicked off with keynote speaker Lt. Governor Leslie Rutledge. The bootcamp combined traditional educational methods as well as hands-on exercises. Ladies were given opportunities to network with other ladies in the cattle industry while making new friends along the way. The camp covered a wide variety of topics within the cattle industry including farm business management, bull selection & calving seasons, forage management, farm estate planning, sprayer calibration, how to pull hay and soil samples, tractor safety, animal handling, how to administer injections, how to back a trailer and much more. As a result of the bootcamp 86% of the women indicated they planned to implement changes in the areas of herd health and forage management while 91% indicated they planned to make changes in the area of estate planning. Educational tours, workshops, and a pasture walk have been planned in order to continue beef cattle education with this group of ladies. A bootcamp for new participants has been planned as well.
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Authors: Amy Heck, Michelle Mobley
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Heck, A. County Extension Agent - Staff Chair/ Agriculture, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas, 72543
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Mobley, M. County Extension Agent - Staff Chair/Agriculture, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas, 72501