Pack your blue jeans and head for Billings to attend the Women Stepping Forward for Agriculture (WSFA) Conference! This year’s conference will be held October 2-4 at the DoubleTree Hotel.

The annual conference began in 2001 and has evolved each year since, and is now planned by a committee of agriculture-minded ladies from across the state. Their mission is to empower women involved in all sectors of agriculture through education, collaboration and networking, to ensure the success of farms and ranches across the region.

This year’s agenda promises to give attendees a blend of education, entertainment and inspiration. Topics covered this year range from the Farm Bill and financial strategies to overcoming the opioid epidemic and alternative forages. Attendees can interact with presenters during the popular Women in Business panel, and new this year, the Generational Differences panel with a range of Montana agriculture couples sharing their success and failures as they forge their way. This year’s keynote speaker will tackle the difficult topic of suicide in rural communities through “Lipstick, Laughter and Life” with inspiration and motivational speaker, Renee Rongen.

Register by September 9 and receive early bird pricing at $70 ($90 after September 10), which includes all meals and speakers. Hotel reservations also need to be made by September 9 to receive a rate of $109. For all the details, visit the website at www.womensteppingforward.org.