BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to announce a new farm planning program designed to provide a more complete look at what farm and ranch families need.
The Whole Farm Planning curriculum addresses child care, health care and health insurance needs for farm and ranch families. Upcoming Whole Farm Planning programs include July 23 and Aug. 13, 2025, in Watertown. July 23 is “Integrating Child Care into Your Whole Farm Plan” and Aug. 13 is “Integrating Health Care and Health Insurance into Your Whole Farm Plan”.
Both trainings are from 5:30 to 8 p.m. CDT at the SDSU Extension Watertown Regional Center. Registration is $20 per person or $50 per family, and will include a meal and child care. To register, visit www.extension.sdstate.edu/events and search “whole farm”.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research shows that child care, health care and health insurance impact farm economic development, risk management, farm safety and quality of life. However, these social and household issues have been neglected in farm planning. The Whole Farm Planning curriculum begins to fill this gap.
“Addressing child care, health care and health insurance needs in agriculture is overdue,” said Lorna Wounded Head, SDSU Extension Family Resource Management Field Specialist. “We’re excited to bring this needed resource to farmers and ranchers in South Dakota.”
The Whole Farm Planning curriculum contains two modules, “Integrating Child Care into Your Whole Farm Plan” and “Integrating Health Care and Health Insurance into Your Whole Farm Plan”. The interactive child care program will help participants learn practical tips to design their farm for family well-being, integrate child care into farm risk management and decide how to apply child care costs into farm and/or household budgets.
For the health care module, participants will learn practical tips to integrate their health, health care and health insurance into farm risk management, and integrate health insurance costs into household and/or farm enterprise budgets. The decision-making resources in both modules recognize every farm and farm family have different goals, priorities and needs.
“Decisions about these issues must be made within the context of the farm family,” said Heather Gessner, SDSU Extension Livestock Business Management Field Specialist. “It is important to remember there are no right or wrong answers. We will be able to help farmers make informed decisions about these complicated social and household issues. We are looking forward to seeing the positive impact this program can make on the well-being of farm and ranch families.”
For more information, contact Lorna Saboe-Wounded Head, SDSU Extension Family Resource Management Field Specialist, at 605-782-3290 or [email protected].
– South Dakota State University Extension