New York Agri-Women will be hosting the Second Annual Meeting & Conference at the Hyatt Place Land Island/East End in Riverhead, New York on March 2-3, 2012 and an agri-tour of Hudson Valley agriculture on March 5, 2012. A cultural exchange will be held on Saturday March 3, 2012 in conjunction with thirty-five (35) farm women from Japan’s Rural Women Empowerment and Life Improvement Association (“WELI”).

“I’m ecstatic about the agri-tour and solid schedule of quality speakers during our Annual Meeting,” says Cari Rincker, an agriculture attorney and founding member of New York Agri-Women. “In just two short years, New York Agri-Women has grown to nearly 100 members representing a wide breadth of New York’s food and agriculture industry.”

On Friday, March 2nd, the organization will have a series of committee break-out sessions beginning at 4:00pm followed by a 7:30pm dinner reception. The keynote speaker on Friday night includes the President of American Agri-Women, Karen Yost, from Montana. Rincker will also give remarks on the “shared challenges and united goals” of the women involved in the New York agriculture industry.

Saturday’s schedule begins with the annual business meeting at 8:00am. During the annual business meeting, the organization will elect a new leadership team and the current President- Elect, Becky Snyder, will transition to lead the organization. “The future of New York Agri- Women rests in the hands of the membership,” Snyder notes. “I’m looking forward to the future of the growing organization.”

Erica Leubner from Tim’s Pumpkin Patch and Prof. Sheila Marshman from Morrisville State College will each give a summary of their experience representing New York Agri-Women at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference in Tokyo, Japan and the Commission on the Status of Women Panel at the United Nations in New York, New York, respectively.

Representatives from WELI will subsequently share information relating to women Japan’s agriculture industry. “I’m especially excited for the panel of female entrepreneurs,” says Marshman, the moderator. We have inspirational women representing diverse segments of the industry including large commercial agriculture, graphics design, fiber/fashion, vineyards/wine, and urban/Community Supported Agriculture. The panel will discuss farm economics, marketing, family communication, managing work-life balance and gender differences.

Uniquely, lunch will highlight “personal style” in the agriculture industry with Danielle Hayes and Cathryn Hagel. Treasurer Molly Zorn will moderate the event. “Fashion and style” was a popular topic in the member survey last fall,” notes Rincker. “It’s rare for agriculture conferences to have this type of event but I think it is important.”

The afternoon breakout sessions are jammed packed with two different tracks -- “Preparing for Your Future” and “Starting an Agri-Business” – with speakers presenting on everything ranging from solar energy, employment law, disaster preparedness, estate planning, grant writing, accounting, marketing and business formation.

The Hudson Valley agri-tour on March 5, 2012 begins at the Kiernan Farm & Blueberry Inn at 1308 Bruynswick Road in Gardiner, New York. The tour concludes at 5:00pm at Penning Orchard & Farm Market at 161 State Rt. 94 S, Warwick, New York. “Participants will have the opportunity to taste value-added dairy products, tour Black Dirt County, visit the Harvest Grill & Apple Grader Brew Pub,” says Christine Rolando, district leader and tour coordinator.

For more information on the Annual Meeting or Agri-Tour, please visit A complete itinerary and registration form is available at the New York Agri-women web page at www.newyorkagriwomen.com or email newyorkagriwomen@gmail.com.