ROCK ISLAND - The Women in Agriculture Conference committee has announced Jeanne Bernick as the headliner for the 9th annual Women in Agriculture Conference. This year’s conference will take place on Friday, March 27 in Rock Island.

Bernick is the co-author of a women’s ag leadership book, “Ceres Rising: How Women are Leading Farm Business.” Her presentation will focus on how women across the world and at home are impacting their communities and what we can learn from their inspirational stories.

The keynote will be followed by a variety of informative breakout sessions and a buffet lunch.

Closing out the conference will be Dr. Kim Kidwell. Kidwell is Dean and Robert A. Easter Chair in the College of Agricultural Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois. She is a proud Alumna of ACES where she earned a bachelor’s degree in both genetics, development and agriculture sciences. She received her masters and Ph.D. in plant breeding and genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Kidwell will speak on “Women Changing Agriculture,” which highlights how women have served as the heartbeat of agriculture throughout history.

Pre-registration for the event is open. More details can be found at womeninagricultureconference.com. This Conference is sponsored by the several county farm bureaus in western Illinois and the Farm Bureau Women in Agriculture Conference Committee.