Risk Management Education Partnership Program 2022 Projects

Project: Supporting Latinx Farmers Risk Management Education and Empowerment for sustainable farm businesses in Washington County, OR
Award Amount: $88,989
State(s): Oregon

Project Description: Adelante Mujeres proposes to deliver risk management and crop insurance training in the areas of production, marketing, and financial risk to 50 socially disadvantaged Latinx farmers of specialty crops in Washington County, Oregon. The primary goal is to offer educational opportunities for new, beginning and aspiring Latinx farmers to ensure understanding of the risks inherent in their operations and how best to mitigate these risks to maintain economic viability. Adelante Mujeres will bring special emphasis on working with specialty crop producers. Adelante Mujeres will provide two 13-week Regenerative Agriculture Courses, host quarterly Specialty Workshops, farm field trips, provide one-on-one technical assistance on risk management areas, and coordinate one Dia del Agricultor Latino (Day of the Latino Farmer) conference. Overall, this project will provide farmers with 60 hours of training and 500 hours of technical assistance.

Objectives:
1. Educate 30 new, beginning and aspiring Latinx farmers on small farm production, marketing and financial risk mitigation in the Regenerative Agriculture Course;
2. Provide culturally-responsive hands-on training support to 50 Latinx farmers that includes one-on-one technical assistance, specialty workshops, field trips to successful small farms and Dia del Agricultor Latino seminar; and
3. Train 15 farmers to cultivate their direct marketing potential and increase enterprise diversification and farm viability.
4. Coordinate 3 Farm to Food Pantry distribution contracts to support eligible farmers.

Project: Providing Crop Insurance and Risk Management Education to Veteran Farmers
Award Amount: $135,000
State(s): North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas

Project Description: AgriLogic proposes to provide risk management education to targeted producers, specifically veterans with emphasis on veterans growing specialty crops. AgriLogic will be partnering with the Farmer Veteran Coalition to leverage that organization’s veteran farmer membership, event, and outreach activities. Through this partnership AgriLogic will provide risk management education to underserved producers that may not be fully award of the risk management programs and options available to them. AgriLogic and its partner will education producers about general insurance concepts, the importance of record-keeping to obtain crop insurance and related programs, eligibility requirements for those programs, and how much crop insurance may cost. Key crop insurance procedures and dates and sources for identifying crop insurance agents will also be provided. The in-person sessions are targeted for delivery in Texas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. AgriLogic will conduct three in-person session, five online/virtual sessions, after the in person and online sessions AgriLogic will create video mini-modules that will cover a risk management education, recordkeeping or a crop insurance topic. Through this multi-faceted approach AgriLogic plans to reach 500 producers.

Project: Phase II. Risk Management Strategies and Crop Insurance Education for Alabama's Limited Resource and Socially Disadvantaged Producers- From the Classroom to the Farm
Award Amount: $198,518
State(s): Alabama

Project Description: Alabama A&M University (AAMU) proposes to provide educational training on crop insurance, risk management tools and strategies including innovative component with hands-on educational outreach program. The project goals are for participants to learn about Basics of Crop Insurance, Risk Management Tools, and Financial Literacy. Participants will become more knowledgeable of crop insurance and able to apply risk management tools. In addition, participants will be able to develop food safety and agricultural diversification plans and be exposed to resources available to farmers. The project objectives include: 1) Develop appropriate educational material; 2) Provide educational and farm field programs, and outreach programs; and 3) Provide one-on-one consultations. The project will target socially disadvantaged minority farmers, new and beginning farmers, and veterans. The project is expected to reach 350 and train 175 participants.

Project: Advancing Midwest Conservation through Crop Insurance Education
Award Amount: $96,224
State(s): Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin

Project Description: Center for Rural Affairs proposes to develop educational materials and deliver them to farmers through round tables, presentations, and individual conversations, as well as broad outreach through media and materials distribution. Center for Rural Affairs has a multi-step, innovative project to bridge the gaps in farmers’ crop insurance knowledge. Center for Rural Affairs will focus on cover crops, relay cropping, the new and existing related coverage options available, and cost share options for cover crops. In focus states of Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, Center for Rural Affairs seeks to reach established and sustainable farmers, and farmers interested in new small grains markets. By translating materials into Spanish, new resources to Spanish-speaking farmers will be available. Partner organizations will share materials with farmer members. Center for Rural Affairs will develop tailored evaluation tools to assess materials and programming effectiveness. This project expects to reach 2,280 farmers via 239 training Hours.

Project: Crop Insurance and Risk Management Training with Peer Advice: Anytime, Anywhere.
Award Amount: $63,195
State(s): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Somoa, District of Columbia, Federated States of Micronesia

Project Description: Farm Commons proposes to provide a unique intimate, peer-to-peer learning format preferred by farmers with the wide reach and constant availability of a podcast. Each podcast subject is addressed in two parts, the first is an educational episode that explains an issue and concludes with a clear directive to farmers about how to reduce risk. The second part of our podcast series feature the quotes, stories, and conversations of 48 farmers as they explain their successes, limitations, and solutions in implementing the action step. Farm Commons plans to leverage an established, loyal audience that is 70% female and 65% diversified/specialty crop producers and beginning farm operators. Specifically, this podcast series addresses crop, property and liability insurance coverage including the Micro-Farm option, wild-foraged/uninsurable crops, workers’ compensation, and disability for farmers, suspected discrimination in insurance, and risk management for recreational use. As a result of this project, 1152 farmers will gain the knowledge they need to manage risks through a 12-episode podcast series. Of those, 504 producers will take at least one of 9 action steps that directly reduce risk.

Project: Farming Success Through Risk Management Education
Award Amount: $91,135
State(s): Texas

Project Description: GROW North Texas proposes to provide targeted risk management assistance to direct marketing farmers in the North Texas area, with particular emphasis on specialty crop growers. With a high percentage of beginning farmers in North Texas the need is high for basic risk management education. This project utilizes existing risk management resources while providing place-based support in group and individual setting and technical assistance from Texas experts. Based on feedback from growers, this project includes risk management education that covers select financial, legal, marketing, and production issues. We will also provide 1:1 technical assistance on social media and marketing strategies; business structure, insurance, and regulations; and USDA program participation, record keeping, and Micro-Farm crop insurance. Webinars, informal Meet-ups, and technical assistance provides a layered approach to meeting the needs of growers in the depth of information and style of learning provided. Overall, the project will offer 10 webinars, 9 Meet-ups, and up to 300 hours of technical assistance reaching 255 producers.

Project: Risk Management Training and Tools for Iowa Producers and Beginning Farmers Considering Organic Transition and Product Diversification
Award Amount: $81,604
State(s): Iowa

Project Description: Iowa Organic Association proposes to develop and deliver “Risk Management Outreach and Education for Beginning, Transitioning, and Organic Producers.” This project will provide Iowa farmers the outreach, education and technical support to enable them to make sound business decisions and implement available tools, resources and strategies to manage organic production risks on their farms. The project goals are to: 1) Increase organic, transitioning and beginning producers’ knowledge and understanding of risk management tools and strategies for organic certification and production; including RMA programs and resources; 2) Deliver risk management education programs, outreach and resources to Iowa producers 3) Create, collect and distribute risk management resources to producers and 4) Evaluate the effectiveness of resources; 5) Provide technical support for farmers seeking support and guidance about crop insurance, lending resources, and production mentorship. These goals will be achieved through a combination of webinars, workshops; on-farm field days, conference/event materials and conversations, direct mail, phone, online resources, and broadcasting through stakeholder networks. Iowa Organic Association plans to reach 17,680 producers through Organic Transition & Diversification and Farmer Outreach Events & Promotions.

Project: Mississippi Risk Management Education and Training for Historically Disadvantaged Farmers, and Ranchers
Award Amount: $199,755.49
State(s): Mississippi

Project Description: MCL JASCO proposes to deliver crop insurance and risk management education and training programs, with a goal to equip historically disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, small landowners and other eligible entities in limited resource areas with the tools and skills needed for them to make sound risk management decisions in financial, production, marketing, and human risks; and for them to acquire the ability to utilize available risk management solutions. The project objectives are as follows:

1. Provide outreach and education on crop insurance and risk management tools needed for historically disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, small landowners and other eligible entities in limited resource areas to make sound decision on their crop insurance needs.
2. Increase the knowledge of producers with financial and farm business management skills.
3. Provide historically disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, small landowners and other eligible entities in limited resource areas with the skills needed for them to efficiently produce sustainable, alternative, and profitable crops.
4. Assist producers in developing profitable marketing strategies.
5. Prevent and/or reduce human risk through training and education.

This project targets historically disadvantaged farmers in Mississippi, with a specific focus on the Mississippi Delta of the state. MCL JASCO staff and project collaborators will work closely with RMA and other agricultural associations as needed to assist historically disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, small landowners and other eligible entities in limited resource areas. Expected outcomes for these farmers and ranchers will be to have an increase access to crop insurance programs and acquire the knowledge and skills to utilize risk management tools and solutions in preventing and/or reducing risks in their farm operations. This impact will be an improved quality of life for producers and their communities. Through meetings, workshops and hands on demonstrations, historically underserved producers will learn about climate smart agriculture practices, crop insurance risks, whole farm protection revenue and the importance of implementing these practices to address natural resource concerns. As part of the project our team of experts will document the needs of producers who attend these workshops, track their progress and provide technical assistance where needed. Through in-person and virtual workshops this project plans to reach 500 producers.

Project: Increasing recordkeeping and financial management opportunities for underserved producers in Michigan: Year Two of Farm Business Recordkeeping for the Global Majority
Award Amount: $198,079
State(s): Michigan

Project Description: Michigan State University proposes to host Farm Business Recordkeeping for the Global Majority for the second year expanding on their 2021 RMA cooperative agreement. The 2021 project had great success serving 79 participants and growing a waitlist of 80 or more. This Series will increase farm financial and risk management technical assistance to underserved Michigan-based producers with priority to Black, New Immigrant, Black Multi-racial, Indigenous/Tribal, and Women of Color. Trainings will be virtual, live, and independent that will result in increased business success, growth, ability to scale, transition, fund, and manage local food and/or farming operations. There will be 8 modules pertaining to financial and human risk management. After course completion, producers will implement the knowledge gained on their farm to ultimately enhance cash flow, profitability, and financial performance. The online course, Farm Money Matters, will be offered in partnership with Michigan State University Extension Farm Business Management that will serve as an accessible and covid-safe central point of financial education. This project will provide education to 75 producers.

Project: Napa Valley Grape Growers Risk Management Education: Climate Risk; Water Conservation; and Pest and Disease Risk
Award Amount: $200,000
State(s): California

Project Description: Napa Valley Grape Growers proposes to provide education in English and Spanish to Napa winegrape producers. Education will cover topics of climate, drought, and pest and disease risk through training on emerging risk management tools and climate smart agriculture. Napa Valley Grape Growers will host 10 educational events, produce eight educational videos and publish a Climate Risk Resource Guide. These trainings will provide direct benefit to 710 Napa winegrape producers through 10 direct face-to-face educational meetings (Climate Risk Education events; four Water Conservation Education events; and three Pest and Disease Risk Education events); eight educational videos (four in English and four in Spanish); and a Climate Risk Resource Guide that will be distributed to producers. In addition, eight videos (four in English and four in Spanish; 1 hour each, 8 training hours total) will be developed on project’s topics: climate risk; drought risk/water conservation; and increased pest and disease risk. The combined target reach for these videos is a conservative 710 Napa winegrape producers.

Project: Increasing Understanding of Crop Insurance Among Organic Field Crop Producers and Ag. Professionals
Award Amount: $150,000
State(s): Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Project Description: Organic Trade Association proposes the Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS). OATS will improve organic farmer utilization and experience with crop insurance by conducting a landscape analysis to uncover important trends in producer experience and use that information to build educational activities using an innovative multimedia approach. OATS will create durable educational materials for organic field crop producers and agriculture professionals across the northern tier of the U.S., including a video based online short-course on organic crop insurance, three podcast episodes on risk management, a series of webinars on organic crop insurance, a series of published essays on organic risk management, and curriculum materials for repeated use at in-person field days. These materials will be long-lived, widely available, and accessible through the OATS website. This project will help (1) organic field crop producers better understand the particulars of organic crop insurance, (2) agriculture professionals better advise organic producers, and (3) improve the advice received by organic regarding practices that affect organic crop insurance. Organic Trade Association plans to reach 4,200 participants through video-based courses, webinars, fact sheets, podcasts, and other components.

Project: Delivering Crop Insurance and Other Risk Management Training to Producers in Alaska, 2022-2023
Award Amount: $90,346
State(s): Alaska

Project Description: RightRisk proposes to deliver risk management training in Alaska. RightRisk and its partners have successfully delivered similar training in the State for the past ten years, developed a vast network of partners and gained a significant knowledge of Alaskan agriculture. A multi-pronged approach will be used to help Alaskan producers better understand and implement crop insurance and risk management strategies. On-site trainings will be delivered before and during one agricultural conference, during small group roundtables at 4-6 locations, and during five on-site trainings for beginning producers (417 producers). Three educational modules will be developed and five sessions for beginning farmers delivered through on-line systems (138 participants). An Alaska-specific newsletter and quarterly email/social media releases will provide additional crop insurance and risk management education (2,450 readers). Alaskan farmers will visit RightRisk’s Alaska web site to access education and decision-making resources (1,500 unique visits). Targeted audiences include beginning farmers, military veterans, specialty crop producers, women, socially disadvantaged, and traditional farmers throughout Alaska.

Project: Navigating and Surviving Uncertain Times: Increasing Financial Literacy and Producer Participation in Crop Insurance and USDA Programs to Develop Resilience of Limited Resource Farms in the Deep South
Award Amount: $200,000
State(s): Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi

Project Description: Rural South Institute proposes to deliver financial and risk management education to minority producers underserved by crop insurance in 18 persistent poverty counties in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. This project will assist at least 195 minority producers and reach at least 3,000 additional producers through strategic information dissemination. This multi-state project will empower producers and help them understand farm finances, good recordkeeping, and the importance of crop insurance and federal programs for a profitable and resilient farm. Expected/intended outcomes include increased producer-participation in crop insurance and USDA programs, adoption of risk management strategies; improved financial and recordkeeping skills; improved production systems; and increased profitability and resilience of minority-owned farms.

Objectives:
1. Promote producer awareness of crop insurance and risk/farm management opportunities through social media and strategic relationships with local organizations.
2. Conduct crop insurance and financial education to mitigate production and financial risk.
3. Identify programs and asset building opportunities that enhance profitability and resilience of limited resource farms.
4. Facilitate producers’ equitable access to capital, crop insurance, and USDA programs to enhance viability of minority-owned farms.

Project: Risk Management Education for Native American Livestock Producers in AZ and NM
Award Amount: $107,658
State(s): Arizona, New Mexico

Project Description: The University of Arizona proposes to develop educational materials and deliver them to livestock producers. The primary goals of this project are to improve the program eligibility and risk management skills of small- to medium-scale livestock producers. Native American cow-calf and sheep producers in AZ and NM are our target audience. The University of Arizona plans to provide Risk Management Education (RME) to 425 unique producers through 12 different face-to-face trainings and another 1150 individuals electronically at least monthly via a newsletter. Primary risk management products/tools and resources that will be addressed include: 1) Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, Livestock Risk Protection, and PRF-Rainfall Index, 2) improved risk and business management, and program eligibility through recordkeeping resources provided, 3) Native Beef markets, and 4) current market situation and outlook information. WFRP and LRP are subsidized insurance products that virtually all tribal ranchers can benefit from if they keep enough records.

Project: Crop Insurance with Legal, Financial, and Marketing Risk Management Training for Socially Disadvantaged and Limited Resource Producers in Arkansas
Award Amount: $100,000
State(s): Arkansas

Project Description: University of Arkansas Pine Bluff proposes to provide production, financial, legal, and marketing risk education to Socially Disadvantaged and Limited Resource Producers (SDLRPs), Beginning and Veteran Farmers in 21 counties in eastern Arkansas and 6 counties in southwest Arkansas. Some of the crop insurance topics to be covered are crop insurance plans, actual production history, crop insurance units, Micro-Farm Policy, Pasture, Rangeland, Forage Plans, and the Noninsured Assistance Program (NAP). Some of the financial risks’ topics are business planning, enterprise budgets, balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow projection. Legal risk topics include business structures, heir’s property, and estate and succession planning. Marketing risk topics are calculating breaking prices and developing written marketing plans.

The delivery methods will include training workshops, one-on-one counseling, educational news articles in newsletters, the School’s Facebook Pages, newspapers and radio interviews. The expected outcomes are an increase in the number of SDLRPs who purchase crop insurance.

Most vegetable SDLRPs will purchase the basic NAP Policy, and a few will purchase the buy-up policy. Twenty-five percent of participants will develop balance sheets and annual financial plans. At least 25 SDLRPs will change their business structure to reduce their liability. Twenty-`five SDLRPs will develop written marketing plans. University of Arkansas Pine Bluff is expected to reach 500 producers.

Project: Mitigating Application Risks for Crop Insurance
Award Amount: $190,409
State(s): Mississippi

Project Description: This project will reach 2,500 producers via online, email, workshop, and phone contact.