USDA to Host In-Person Workshop in South Dakota To Focus on Livestock Risk Management Products

BILLINGS, Mont., December 18, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is hosting a series of in-person and virtual workshops for producers to learn about new and expanded livestock risk management products. The “Livestock Roadshow,” hosted by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), will highlight policy improvements based on feedback from America’s livestock producers, as part of the agency’s broader outreach and education efforts. The next event will be held in-person on January 17, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. CT at the Drifters Bar & Grille Event Center located at 325 E. Hustan Avenue, Fort Pierre, SD 57532. For those who cannot attend in-person, the information will also be offered in virtual sessions. Click here to find dates and times.

“This is a great chance for us to meet with livestock producers, highlight the many livestock resources we have available, and discuss them directly in-person with the livestock producers” said Eric Bashore, Director of the RMA Billings Regional Office. “There are so many risk management opportunities for livestock producers, some new, some updated and improved and we want to take every chance we can to keep livestock producers up to date so that they can make the best-informed decisions they can to manage their operation and its specific risks. This in-person workshop lets us do just that.”

Improvements to livestock insurance options have led to tremendous growth. For example, Livestock Risk Protection grew by 250% in two years, with about 27 million head of cattle insured in 2023. Meanwhile, Livestock Gross Margin grew by 600% in two years, with about 14.5 million head of cattle insured in 2023.

At this and other Livestock Roadshow events, producers can expect to learn more about:

• Dairy Revenue Protection, available nationwide
• Livestock Gross Margin, available nationwide
• Livestock Risk Protection, available nationwide
• Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage, available nationwide
• Annual Forage, available in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas
• Weaned Calf Risk Protection (new for 2024), available in Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Texas

In addition to this event on January 17 in Fort Pierre, throughout the coming months there will be more than a dozen Livestock Roadshow workshops held in-person in each of RMA’s 10 regions, as well as several virtual workshops that will be available to everyone across the country. A full listing of upcoming roadshow events and information on how to participate is available on the Livestock Roadshow webpage. Additionally, all producers can subscribe for email messages from RMA.

The Livestock Roadshow builds on other recent outreach and education efforts. In 2023, RMA held roadshow events highlighting insurance coverage for specialty crop, organic, and urban producers. In total, more than 3,000 producers and program stakeholders attended these events. Additionally, since 2021, RMA has invested nearly $13 million in partnerships to advance risk management education. Learn more on the Outreach and Education webpage.

More Information

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov or by contacting your RMA Regional Office.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov. 

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