SDSU Extension offers farm planning programs in Winner

BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University Extension will offer additional Whole Farm Planning workshops on Nov. 12 and 19, 2025, in Winner.

Whole Farm Planning is a new program designed to provide a holistic look at what farm and ranch families need, with a curriculum that addresses child care, health care and health insurance needs for farm and ranch families.

The next workshop, “Integrating Child Care into Your Whole Farm Plan”, is on Nov. 12; “Integrating Health Care and Health Insurance into Your Whole Farm Plan” is on Nov. 19. Both workshops are from 5:30 to 8 p.m. CST at the SDSU Extension Winner Regional Center. Registration is $20 per person or $50 per family, and will include a meal and child care. To register, visit the SDSU Extension Events page and search “whole farm”.

The child care workshop is an interactive program that 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.

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.”

“Integrating Health Care and Health Insurance into Your Whole Farm Plan” helps participants 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.

“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.”

The decision-making resources in both modules recognize every farm and farm family have different goals, priorities and needs. Future workshops will be announced on the SDSU Extension Events page.

For more information, contact Lorna Saboe-Wounded Head, SDSU Extension Family Resource Management Field Specialist.