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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Nearly 700 farm and ranch women involved in all types of agriculture attended the Farm Bureau National Women’s Leadership Conference this week. Attendees from 38 states sharpened their leadership and networking skills and accepted a charge from American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman for women to lead Farm Bureau at all levels of involvement.

The conference included sessions on family business dynamics, grassroots political advocacy, adapting to change, challenges and opportunities in animal agriculture, educating consumers about agriculture, tips for marketing farm products, women’s health issues and much more. In addition to the U.S. farm women, guests from South Africa also attended the meeting.

Terry Gilbert, a Kentucky native and chair of the AFB National Women’s Leadership Committee, kicked off the conference with Stallman and Kentucky Farm Bureau President Marshall Coyle.

“It is a pleasure to assist women in agriculture in enhancing their leadership skills,” said Gilbert. “Interest in leadership development is so great we are planning to host this conference every two years, rather than every four years,” Gilbert said the conference was open to all farm and ranch women involved in agriculture.

In remarks at the conference’s opening session, Stallman said Farm Bureau needs strong women leaders, both within Women’s Leadership programs and elsewhere in the organization. He issued a challenge to the women attendees.

“Crash through the old perception of Farm Bureau being a good ol’ boys club,” Stallman said. “Make this organization one that people think of first when the words ‘women, agriculture and opportunity,’ are linked in a sentence. Your Farm Bureaus – whether county, state or even AFBF – will be better off due to your positive input and leadership.”

The next National Women’s Leadership Conference will be held in the spring of 2010.