STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi women who want to grow their farm and agribusiness skills are invited to an upcoming conference in Starkville.

“Small Farm Success in a Global Market,” the 2020 conference of the Mississippi Women for Agriculture organization, will be held March 6 and 7 in the Bost Extension Center on the Mississippi State University campus. Mississippi Women for Agriculture is organized through the MSU Extension Service and provides information and education to help female agribusiness employees and owners build skills.

The conference is open to any interested individuals but is tailored to female farmers, farmers market vendors, and owners, partners or employees of other agriculture-related businesses. Topics include marketing, making equipment decisions, communicating company messages, successfully working with lenders, creating farm-to-table and other food events, and the top 10 horticulture crops for small farms.

Guest speakers include Natasha McCrary, Hamp Beatty and Julie White.

McCrary, owner of 1818 Farms in Alabama, will discuss how to build a small farm brand for the global marketplace. McCrary was named Amazon’s Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year in 2019. 1818 Farms makes and sells bath and body products and home goods. It also offers classes, event spaces and on-farm experiences.

Beatty, an educator with the MSU Extension Service, helps small business owners by providing counseling and training to existing and start-up businesses.

White, an Extension associate, delivers agricultural education to elementary-aged school children through the FARMtastic and iFARM programs. 

Attendees also will hear a legislative update on policies that can affect small farms.

Registration is $25 per person by Feb. 28 and $35 at the door. To register online or to download a printable registration form, visit the Mississippi Women for Agriculture registration site at https://mswomenforag.org/2020-annual-conference. For more information, call Sylvia Clark at 662-325-1696.

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. For disability accommodation, contact Sylvia Clark at 662-325-1696.