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Risk Management Education Partnership Program (RMEP)

Billings, MT

Recipient: Agrimind LLC
Project: Risk Management and Crop Insurance Training for Beginning and Traditional Producers in Montana
Project Description: Agrimind LLC proposes to work with RMA and two partner organizations to deliver training in risk management and crop insurance topics to beginning, livestock, and traditional producers in Montana within RMA’s Billings Region.

Agrimind will reach 1,020 producers through 19 training events and 4,900 producers (39,200 impressions) through 8 informational contacts (articles, mailings, webinars, etc.).

The outreach will improve producers' awareness of available risk management strategies and tools, including Federal crop insurance programs such as RMA's LRP, PRF, and WFRP Programs. In addition, Agrimind will 1) aggressively pursue outreach through informational channels, including social media and 2) make training content available in Spanish.

Producers will also gain expertise in assessing and implementing relevant risk management strategies and tools, including Farm Financial Benchmarking concepts, leading to more effective utilization of Federal crop insurance programs that will improve profitability and stability of Montana's farming and ranching operations.

Two partners, Master Stockman Consulting and Montana FFA Association, will contribute substantially to the success of the partnership. As described in the Proposal Narrative, Statement of Work, and Partnering Plan, these partners will work closely with Agrimind to achieve the jointly developed Proposed Results.

Award Amount: $74,790
Award Type: RME
State: Montana
Regional Office: Billings, MT

Recipient: North 40 Ag
Project: Soil health education and risk management training in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming
Project Description: North 40 Ag, in conjunction with RMA and 11 partners, proposes to deliver soil health education and risk management training in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. The project will educate a total of 2440 producers. 440 will be receive face-to-face training. 200 will be trained through a series of 10 field days, 120 will be trained at 8 winter roundtable meetings, and 120 will be trained at 3 lunch and learn events. An additional 2000 will be reached through 10 online educational videos.

The project will reach beginning, livestock, women, small, organic, specialty, sustainable, value-added, Native American, and traditional producers, with emphasis on producers transitioning to new production methods like no-till, cover crops, and integrating grazing into cropping systems. Producers will learn about the benefits of soil health practices including cover crops, crop rotation, and no-till, as well as drought management, pests, disease, and grazing toxicity. Crop insurance topics covered include PRF, cover crop impacts on insurance, SPOI statements, how to get a written agreement, and crop insurance 101.

Producers will learn how to implement soil health principles to increase yields, gain additional grazing for livestock, decrease inputs, and increase profitability, which improves the overall sustainability of farms and ranches.

Award Amount: $83,596
Award Type: RME
State: Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming
Regional Office: Billings, MT

Davis, CA

Recipient: The University of Arizona
Project: Risk Management Education for Arizona's Livestock, Tree Nut, Forage, and Small Specialty Crop Producers
Project Description: The primary goals of this project are to improve the risk management skills and decisions of Arizona’s livestock, tree nut, forage and small specialty crop (grape and vegetable) producers. Audiences we propose to reach in this proposal include limited resource, livestock, Native American, small farm and ranch, and beginning specialty crop producers. Specific objectives for producers to reach these goals include providing education through hands-on workshops and a monthly electronic newsletter that addresses 1) WFRP education to all audiences, 2) PRF-Rainfall Index and LRP insurance for livestock producers, and 3) Pecan Revenue, and APH-Pistachio, -Grape, and –Forage insurance to these respective producers, and 4) Recordkeeping tools tailored for both crop and livestock oriented audiences in the form of complementary pocket record notebooks, 3-ring binder workbooks, and electronic spreadsheets. We estimate that at least 60 percent of our workshop participants will be able to develop a strategy for keeping records and implementing a risk management plan and that 25 percent will make better risk management decisions, verified primarily through audience response system questions during and after RME workshops. We expect to reach 1,475 producers through both hands-on training and electronic delivery with a training cost of $63.00/participant or $17.75/hour of training.
Award Amount: $92,919
Award Type: RME
State: Arizona
Regional Office: Davis, CA

Recipient: California FarmLink
Project: Fostering a Collaborative Network to Increase Access to Risk Management Tools in California
Project Description: This project will forge a collaborative program for risk management education in California, among a network of agricultural assistance providers across the state. It will offer education and training opportunities to 490 farmers, many of whom are specialty crop growers from socially disadvantaged groups, including beginning farmers. This network will provide access to, and understanding of, critical risk management tools, including crop insurance and organic recordkeeping. By the end of this project, California FarmLink and project partners will have generated an educational program and ecosystem of farm service support that helps farmers access crop insurance and risk management tools, and enact sound risk management decisions.

Objectives:

Create a farmer risk management education program across four (4) statewide farmer-training organizations, and develop a shared support network for ongoing education, training and outreach on crop insurance, financial risk management and organic record keeping.
Hold group trainings and educational webinars for 490 farmers on topics including crop insurance, financial risk management, and recordkeeping for organic producers.
Provide 1:1 technical assistance to 130 farmers throughout the life of the project, to assist with risk management decisions, including financial management, record-keeping and preparing to apply for crop insurance.

Award Amount: $199,811
Award Type: RME
State: California
Regional Office: Davis, CA

Recipient: California Institute for Rural Studies
Project: Using USDA and Other Tools to Manage Future Risk on Small Scale Diversified Farms
Project Description: We will provide Whole-Farm Revenue Protection training in partnership with USDA-RMA staff in Davis, CA. We will focus on adapting farm budgets to the new minimum wage and overtime regulations adopted in California (and for use in other states increasing minimum wages). These trainings will help promote sound risk management solutions and improve the economic stability of small scale diversified farmers in California who are growing specialty crops for America’s tables.

Farmers in our workshops will develop whole farm budgets to be used for the WFRP program and can assist growers with predicting the upcoming increases in labor costs in California. Labor costs can account for up to 65% of a California farm’s expenditures. Farms in California that rely heavily on labor are also farms that produce specialty crops and are often diversified in their production. WFRP insurance is effective for just such farms. WFRP provides a risk management safety net for all commodities on the farm under one insurance policy. This is especially important for farms growing 3 or more commodities who can thus qualify for 80-85% insurance coverage. With labor shortages being reported throughout the state, farmers need to know all of their options for reducing financial risk.

Award Amount: $99,996
Award Type: RME
State: California
Regional Office: Davis, CA

Recipient: Chico Bean Growers dba North Valley Ag Services
Project: Assisting specialty crop producers in mitigating production and financial risks through training on irrigation and limited irrigation best practices in the aftermath of drought
Project Description: The long-term impacts of California’s drought continues to plague growers. Growers still are overcoming drought economic losses (~$5.2 billion during peak, 2014-2016, UC Davis), detrimental long-term impacts on soil and tree health, and declining water availability, all of which warrant new irrigation practices. A cooperative with 408 grower-members, Chico Bean Growers dba North Valley Ag Services (NVAS), is deeply impacted. Accordingly, project GOAL is to equip regional specialty crop producers (priority commodity) to better manage water usage through training on best irrigation and limited irrigation practices (FCIC 2017 Priority Topics). OBJECTIVE is reaching audience of 1,300 specialty crop producers (almond/walnut/prune/others) through educational trainings on a farm demonstration site (80 producers), at Butte County Grower Day (400 producers), NVAS’s Annual Production Meeting (250 producers), and through educational mailings, video, and an Irrigation App Timing Tool (900 producers). Training locations will be Butte and Tehama counties. Results/impacts include understanding of best irrigation practices in aftermath of drought, the impact on soil and tree health, development of personalized risk management plans; and implementation of new/best irrigation methods. Results measured through written/online evaluations and personal interviews. NVAS’ strong connection to producers, previous experience and partner expertise contributes to likely project success.
Award Amount: $99,356
Award Type: RME
State: California
Regional Office: Davis, CA

Recipient: Napa Valley Grapegrowers Association
Project: Napa Valley Grapegrowers’ Risk Management Educational Trainings: Record Keeping for Organic Crops, Sustainable Farming in Light of Drought, and Crop Insurance 101
Project Description: Though USDA RMA reports 82% of CA’s total winegrape acreage is insured, only about half of Napa County’s winegrapes are, a long-term trend. 2017 data shows the lowest acreage insured since 2012 (USDA RMA, Summary of Business). Winegrape growers (priority commodity) need education to mitigate risk. Other factors call for training too: drought has ushered in irrigation restrictions and though CA leads in organic winegrapes, Napa’s organic producers declined by 40% since 2012 (Napa Crop Reports), in part from lack of education around record keeping needs. Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) represents most Napa vineyards. With a multi-year history reaching producers through collaborative RMA projects, NVG is well-equipped to accomplish PROJECT GOAL of providing training/education to an audience of 1,500 winegrape producers on Crop Insurance 101; Organic Record Keeping; and Drought (2017 FCIC Priorities) through OBJECTIVE of hosting a seminar (500 producers), a workshop (500), and a conference (500), all in Napa. Events will train producers face-to-face with INNOVATIVE LIVESTREAMING/PODCAST/VIDEO reaching producers online. Results are increased crop insurance coverage, implemented irrigation strategies, and better organic record-keeping, with results evaluated through an auto-response system/evaluations/phone interviews. Previous programs saw increased understanding/results from 2,025 (2014) and 3,009 (2016) producers, supporting this project’s likely success.
Award Amount: $99,999
Award Type: RME
State: California
Regional Office: Davis, CA

Recipient: FamilyFarmed
Project: Reducing Risk: Best Practices in Food Safety, Wholesale & Direct Marketing and Postharvest handling for Davis Region Specialty Crop Farmers
Project Description: Best Practices in Food Safety, Wholesale & Direct Marketing and Postharvest handling for Davis Region Specialty Crop Farmers "The goal of Reducing Risk is to build the skills of 190 farmers and enable them to better understand opportunities and risks in wholesale and direct marketing, while adopting best practices that minimize their risk. FamilyFarmed will work with three partners, in California and Nevada to engage beginning, limited-resource specialty crop farmers who sell products to local food markets.

Participants will be invited to one of three training workshops, receive a companion manual (Wholesale Success, Direct Market Success or Food Safety Binder), receive two Reducing Risk news and resource e-blasts, be introduced to the On-Farm Food Safety website where farmers can create free food safety plans, and be invited to join an online discussion group where they can find technical assistance answers, new video content and topical discussions.

We anticipate farmers will make changes to their operations to minimize their risk. Specifically, farmers will increase their understanding of best practices in Wholesale and Direct Marketing, Food Safety and Postharvest Handling Risk Management, and about available Crop Insurance options including Whole Farm Revenue Protection. They also will develop risk management plans and strategies and begin to implement specific best practices in their operations.

Award Amount: $47,687
Award Type: RME
State: California, Nevada
Regional Office: Davis, CA

Oklahoma City, OK

Recipient: Agrimind LLC
Project: Risk Management and Crop Insurance Training for Beginning and Traditional Producers in New Mexico
Project Description: Agrimind LLC will work with RMA and the New Mexico FFA (NMFFA) to improve New Mexico beginning livestock producers’ awareness, understanding, and utilization of Federal crop insurance programs and other risk management tools.

Agrimind will reach 900 beginning producers through 15 training events and 3,400 beginning producers (27,200 impressions) through 8 informational contacts (e.g., newsletters, emails, social media posts, etc.). Content and information will be offered in both English and Spanish.

Beginning producers enrolled in agriculture education programs are the future of New Mexico agriculture and will clearly benefit from training in risk management concepts and crop insurance fundamentals. In targeting NMFFA members, the team is also reaching many beginning women producers, who comprise nearly 50 percent of NMFFA members.

The outreach will improve beginning livestock producers' awareness of available risk management strategies and tools, including Federal crop insurance programs such as RMA's LRP, PRF (Rainfall Index), and WFRP Programs. Producers will also learn to assess and implement risk management strategies, including diversification and forward contracting. The training is expected to lead to more frequent and effective utilization of risk management tools, including Federal crop insurance programs, which will likely improve the stability and profitability of New Mexico agriculture.

Award Amount: $47,960
Award Type: RME
State: New Mexico
Regional Office: Oklahoma City, OK

Recipient: RightRisk LLC
Project: Delivering Crop Insurance and Other Risk Management Training to Native American Producers on the Shiprock Reservation, 2017-2018
Project Description: Native American farmers and ranchers on the Shiprock Navajo Reservation are demanding training about crop insurance and other risk management. They purchase crop insurance at rates less than the national average, and PRF changed from Vegetative Index. The primary goal of this project is to help Native producers better understand and implement crop insurance and risk management strategies to improve their opportunities for success.

RightRisk is well positioned to deliver crop insurance training and risk management training on the Shiprock Reservation. RightRisk professionals have successfully delivered similar trainings for several years and have a sincere understanding of farming and ranching on the Reservation and of the local culture. A combination of face-to-face group trainings, individual coaching, access to a New Mexico specific web page, and distribution of printed resources to achieve the project’s objective.

RightRisk professionals will speak and distribute printed resources and answer individual questions at the annual Shiprock Ag Days (held during the last two week of March) and conduct a workshop during the Nenahnezad Harvest Festival (held in mid-September). Further, two Risk Management Profiles will be developed to explain PRF insurance and business succession/estate planning using sample farms/ranches on the Shiprock Reservation.

Award Amount: $18,256
Award Type: RME
State: New Mexico
Regional Office: Oklahoma City, OK

Recipient: National Crop Insurance Services
Project: Developing Personal Risk Management Plans for Limited Resource Producers of Underserved Commodities and Specialty Crops in Oklahoma
Project Description: The outcome of this project is to enable small, beginning, limited resource and socially disadvantaged producers of underserved commodities and specialty crops in Oklahoma to understand and respond to production (crop and livestock insurance), marketing (strategies and farmers markets), financial (record-keeping and bench-marking), legal (liabilities and estate planning), and human resource (labor) risks, by developing personal risk management plans.

Three sequential workshops (18 hours), supplemented by personal assignments and on-farm visits providing individualized tutoring and counseling (60 hours), will be delivered to 30 producers via a partnership of subject matter experts and local educators. Participants will develop the skills and understand their own operations sufficiently to establish written goals for each of the five areas of risk specific to their farm, delineate three detailed actions to reach each goal, and commit to implement their personal risk management plan. Educators will support and monitor their progress throughout, and interview each participant at the end of the project recording the number of actions completed.

This concentrated, participatory approach to education, with sequential workshops and individualized one-on-one follow-up, provides participants with an opportunity for sustained support as they master the skills taught in the workshops, increasing the likelihood of long-term behavioral change.

Cost Per Producer: $17.66

The education will increase producers´ awareness of crop insurance programs to determine the best crop insurance program for their individual farming operation.

Award Amount: $84,733
Award Type: RME
State: Oklahoma
Regional Office: Oklahoma City, OK

Recipient: The Gleaning Network of Texas dba GROW North Texas
Project: Risk Management Training for North Texas Direct Market Farmers
Project Description: Risk Management Training for North Texas Direct Market Farmers provides targeted risk management assistance to direct market farmers in the North Texas area, with particular emphasis on specialty crop growers. The project utilizes existing risk management resources from various sources, including many supported by RMEP and SRMEC funding. The project provides three different tiers of engagement for producers: 1) A website for information and resources; 2) A series of workshops focused mainly on financial and marketing risk management; and 3) A participant cohort that will work through individual work plans while also receiving technical assistance from the project team. This varied engagement will allow for a larger number of producers to participate while also targeting the Decide and Implement producer actions. To enable the most capacity building possible, the project uses local nonprofit staff from farmers markets and GROW North Texas as well as the experience of RAFI-USA. This project will provide 580 producer contacts with access to expanded risk management resources through local organizations. The average cost per producer is $172. The project increases the capacity of the producers and the local nonprofit farm service providers.

Award Amount: $99,771
Award Type: RME
State: Texas
Regional Office: Oklahoma City, OK

Recipient: National Immigrant Farming Initiative Inc. Regional Office
Project: Southern Texas Education and Outreach Partnership Project on Risk Management with 60 Socially disadvantaged Producers
Project Description: The National Immigrant Farming Initiative (NIFI) proposes a project with the long term goal of assisting socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in owning and operating viable agricultural enterprises while managing risk and crop insurance. NIFI and its network of partners in in Southern Texas will be working in 3 counties of the state; to provide outreach and technical assistance designed to support immigrant and veteran farmers with the risk management knowledge, skills and tools to make good farm business decisions and enhance enterprise sustainability. businesses. NIFI supports participation and builds relationships among socially disadvantaged farmers and USDA programs and offices. NIFI provides agriculture training and technical assistance through innovative techniques that are linguistically accessible and culturally appropriate including:

Risk Management in Production, marketing, financial, legal and human
Crop insurance of priority commodities
One-to-one training, mentoring, and internships
Building capacity of USDA agricultural service providers

The primary expected outcomes during the project are:

Four new farm/enterprise garden startups
Sixty socially disadvantaged and farmers and ranchers will make progress in owning and operating farm businesses
Twenty USDA agricultural service providers network

Award Amount: $132,429
Award Type: RME
State: Texas
Regional Office: Oklahoma City, OK

Recipient: Texas A&M University
Project: Risk Management Training and Tools 2017-18
Project Description: U.S. net farm income is down over 50% from 2013, the fourth year of decline in a row, and is at its lowest level since 2002 (USDA, ERS, 2017). Low commodity prices, growing debt, and declining value of agricultural assets have created risk and uncertainty for Texas farmers and ranchers. The ability of producers to meet short-term debt obligations is increasingly in jeopardy. Recent questions asked of Texas Extension Economists indicate a need for more crop insurance and risk management education to address these emerging issues. This project targets Texas crop and livestock industries with programs directed at production, marketing, financial, and legal risk management education. A highlight of these programs will be focused on crop insurance education or, where appropriate, crop insurance updates and available risk management software for decision-making.

Programs will train Texas agricultural producers, including those with horticultural crops, to develop and implement effective risk management plans. A variety of programs will be offered allowing attendees to select depth of training given time availability and current level of risk management knowledge. These programs will help farmers and ranchers manage a wide array of risks that will protect their financial resources and strengthen the rural economy.

Award Amount: $99,872
Award Type: RME
State: Oklahoma, Texas
Regional Office: Oklahoma City, OK

Raleigh, NC

Recipient: Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York
Project: Teaching Organic Producers How to Mitigate Risk
Project Description: Teaching Organic Producers How to Mitigate Risk will provide organic and sustainable producers in New York State with resources to make sound on-farm management decisions reducing risk and increasing success in many aspects of their farm businesses. This will be achieved through five objectives: 1) Creating risk-management training, on-line tools and resources; 2) Promoting risk-management trainings, on-line tools and resources to producers; 3) Increasing organic and sustainable producers’ knowledge and understanding of risk-management tools and strategies; 4) Providing beginning farmers the tools and knowledge necessary to ensure a successful farm business; and, 5) Increasing producers’ knowledge of self-health resources supporting the long-term well-being of farmers. Objectives will be achieved through workshops, on-farm training, on-line resources, and a health fair. Producers will gain knowledge and tools that will enable them to make sound risk-management decisions about production, marketing, legal, financial, and human risk. The targeted audience is organic and sustainable producers in New York State, a group that has historically been comprised of small and limited resource producers. The expected impact is that producers will learn about and implement tools, resources and strategies to mitigate risks on their farms and ensure the long term viability of New York state farm land.

Award Amount: $142,333
Award Type: RME
State: New York
Regional Office: Raleigh, NC

Spokane, WA

Recipient: RightRisk LLC
Project: Delivering Crop Insurance and Other Risk Management Training to Producers in Alaska, 2017-2018
Project Description: Crop insurance is not widely understood nor utilized by Alaskan producers. Yet, the State lacks sufficient resources—human and financial—to provide the needed education.

RightRisk is well positioned to deliver crop insurance training and risk management training in Alaska. RightRisk professionals have successfully delivered similar trainings in the State for six years, developed a vast network of individuals and organizations, and gained a significant knowledge of Alaskan agriculture.

The primary goal of this project is to help Alaskan producers better understand and implement crop insurance and risk management strategies to improve their opportunities for success. Trainings will be targeted to Native Alaskans, veterans, beginning farmers, specialty crop producers, women, socially disadvantaged, and traditional farmers, especially those producers of flowers and other specialty crops. An estimated 1,275 contacts will be made with producers.

Group trainings and distribution of crop insurance and risk management resources will occur via the Alaska Peony Growers Annual Conference to held in Anchorage; eight trainings throughout the state for 250 beginning farmers; two risk management Profiles; and a presentation and networking with producers at a 2-day field tour in Interior Alaska.

Award Amount: $64,963
Award Type: RME
State: Alaska
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Recipient: Adelante Mujeres
Project: Educating and Empowering Latino Farmers to Establish Sustainable and Profitable Farm Businesses in Oregon
Project Description: Lead applicant Adelante Mujeres will ensure that Latino farmers (i.e., producers) of specialty crops are better equipped to establish sustainable and profitable farm businesses by providing new and beginning farmers access to training in the areas of production, crop insurance, legal, financial, marketing and human risk. Adelante Mujeres will partner with the Coalition for the Advancement of Latino Farmers (CALF) to evaluate needs of Latino farmers in the region and design a culturally specific, Spanish language Farmer Resource Guide. The Farmer Resource Guide will improve and expand risk management training for Latino farmers in the region. This project will benefit approximately 145 Latino farmers throughout Oregon in Washington, Lane, and Hood River Counties.

Project Objectives:

Provide culturally specific and bilingual programming to ensure Latino farmers are equipped to reduce financial and operational risks, thus learning how to operate profitable and sustainable farm businesses.
Advocate for the advancement of Latino farmers in Oregon by collaborating with partner organizations.

Award Amount: $81,594
Award Type: RME
State: Oregon
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Recipient: Oregon State University
Project: Reducing Vegetable Farmer Risk through Dryland Production
Project Description: Growing and storing crops/varieties that are less risky (require fewer inputs and are less prone to losses) should increase small farm profitability. Some Oregon farmers have no water rights and all farmers run the risk of irrigation failure or future lack of water supply. Dryland production of specific varieties of tomatoes and winter squash has been shown to be profitable and to produce high quality, long storing crops. This project, in partnership with RMA, will train organic, small-scale, and women farmers in dryland production techniques and their impact on storage, how to assess soil suitability, and how to measure soil moisture availability, in two workshops and two field days; increase farmer understanding of relevant risk management programs; engage farmers in collaborative learning through workshops, field days, social media, and listserves; engage farmers in production and sensory evaluation of dryland tomatoes and squash; and disseminate project resources to a broader group of farmers through the OSU Small Farm newsletter, oregonvegetables.com, and the Farmer to Farmer Exchange listserve. Changes in farmer understanding, intentions, and practices will be assessed though surveys and interviews. Per farmer costs range from $1534 for 50 farmers engaged directly to $153 for 500 farmers learning from project resources.

Award Amount: $76,718
Award Type: RME
State: Oregon
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Recipient: Grow Food dba Viva Farms
Project: Delivering innovative bilingual outreach, education and training through collaborative partnerships, and increasing understanding of risk management, and risk reduction for beginning and socially disadvantaged producers.
Project Description: Our project will deliver innovative bilingual outreach, education and training through collaborative partnerships, and increase understanding of risk management, and risk reduction for Beginning, Socially Disadvantaged, Hispanic, Organic and Specialty Crop Producers at a rural, urban and agricultural park land based incubators in Skagit County Washington and King County Washington. Group, one on one, and online (video) education, training, technical assistance and workshops delivered.

Producer impact (understanding/implementing) from topics: business planning, marketing, crop insurance 101, organic certification, GAP certification, tractor safety, crop planning, irrigation systems, pre-harvest, harvest, and food safety, animal husbandry, grain management, cover crops, and record keeping.

Project Results:

Bilingual Curriculum for Land based Practicum Courses
Two Tractor Safety Workshops
4 videos synthesizing workshops on crop insurance; marketing contracts; organic small scale animal husbandry; organic feeds, alternative feeds, and grain management
Record keeping documents will be incorporated into all incubator models
New co branded bilingual Pocket Field Book for recordkeeping
New co branded Pocket Spanish/English Agricultural Dictionary
Online farm business management (Tend or Agsquared) will be made available with technical assistance
Increased audience access with Bilingual outreach and promotion materials
Experienced and educated farmer training educators
Expansion on database to include all new and beginning sustainable organic producers

Award Amount: $149,486
Award Type: RME
State: Washington
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Recipient: FamilyFarmed
Project: Best Practices in Food Safety, Wholesale & Direct Marketing and Postharvest handling for Spokane Region Specialty Crop Farmers
Project Description: The goal of Reducing Risk is to build the skills of 190 farmers and enable them to better understand opportunities and risks in wholesale and direct marketing, while adopting best practices that minimize their risk. FamilyFarmed will work with three partners, in Washington to engage beginning, limited-resource specialty crop farmers who sell products to local food markets.

Participants will be invited to one of five training workshops, receive a companion manual (Wholesale Success, Direct Market Success or Food Safety Binder), receive two Reducing Risk news and resource e-blasts, be introduced to the On-Farm Food Safety website where farmers can create free food safety plans, and be invited to join an online discussion group where they can find technical assistance answers, new video content and topical discussions.

Award Amount: $46,440
Award Type: RME
State: Washington
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Recipient: Northwest Natural Resource Group
Project: Forests, Farms and Energy: Reducing Landowner Risk by Implementing Woody Biomass Solutions
Project Description: Forest producers in San Juan County, WA are struggling to manage over-stocked stands at risk from wildfire, insects, and disease. Removing low-value suppressed trees (woody biomass) is an essential step toward releasing scarce soil nutrients to support accelerated growth in dominant stands which will in turn enable long-term productivity.

Previous partnerships have helped more than 300 small producers begin active timber management projects to reduce risk. However, producers are challenged by the considerable quantity of woody biomass generated. Biochar soil amendments and biomass energy production have emerged as areas of particular interest, but local markets need to be developed.

Forests, Farms and Energy: Reducing Landowner Risk by Implementing Woody Biomass Solutions addresses this need through continued landowner education, including training, technical resources, and onsite demonstrations. Partners will introduce producers to recent research on the benefits of biochar application, and support production and local markets. At the same time, a Biomass Energy Stakeholder group will identify opportunities to use biomass in electricity generation. This will be combined with further research into woody biomass volumes, so that stakeholders can determine next steps towards biomass energy. Together, these activities will reduce risk and improve productivity for forests and farms in the San Juans.

Award Amount: $96,570
Award Type: RME
State: Washington
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Recipient: Tilth Alliance
Project: Developing and Providing Risk Management Education for Small and Mid-Sized Producers in Washington State
Project Description: Since the late 1970’s, Tilth Alliance (then Tilth Producers of Washington) has been an education, training and technical support resource for farmers across the state of Washington. We offer educational programming across Washington State that is focused on sustainable—often organic—production practices, and improving producer knowledge about best strategies for growing and thriving as a viable farm business. Many of federal loan and insurance services are overlooked by small and beginning farmers, and those with highly diversified operations assume that their size and scale of production precludes them from taking part. Our proposed project will provide this target producer audience with 1) a thorough overview of the risk management strategies that are available to operations of their size and scale, 2) a deeper dive into relevant resources and services, and 3) on-farm exposure to risk-mitigating production strategies. We will achieve this in a three-pronged approach: in-depth regional winter workshops, farm walks during the growing season, and publication of an educational article. All events will be available to the diverse community of producers Tilth Alliance serves, with special focus on small- to mid-sized operations and those producing specialty crops with sustainable and organic practices.

Award Amount: $59,290
Award Type: RME
State: Washington
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Recipient: Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides
Project: Managing Risk and Increasing Crop Diversification in the Pacific Northwest
Project Description: The overall goal is to improve producers’ economic stability through education on crop insurance, emerging markets, and alternative pest management strategies. As a result, 580 organic, specialty crop, nursery, and transitioning producers in Idaho, Oregon and Washington will be reached through the year-round outreach plan, field days, workshops and demonstration tours. From Idaho and Washington events and outreach, 540 will show increased understanding of Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, 115 will commit to contacting an insurance agent, and 35 will do so by the end of the project. After trainings in Idaho, 100 will increase understanding of emerging markets, 30 will meet with a buyer, 40 will commit to changing behavior, and 35 will make a crop planning decision change. Additionally, 120 will show increased understanding of record keeping practices, 80 will commit to making changes, and 40 will do so. After the pest management workshop in Washington, 60 producers will show improved understanding of biological pest management, 20 will commit to implementing new practices, and 5 will do so. In Oregon, 40 nursery and greenhouse producers will increase understanding of marketing and pricing sustainably-grown ornamentals.

Award Amount: $79,817
Award Type: RME
State: Idaho, Oregon, Washington
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Recipient: Oregon Tilth
Project: Organic Transition and Business Development Support for Pacific Northwest Producers
Project Description: Organic Transition and Business Development Support for Pacific Northwest Producers With support from RMEPP, Oregon Tilth will deliver risk management educational activities to an estimated 1,250 organic, transitioning, and beginning specialty crop farmers in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. We'll help farmers minimize the risks associated with starting a farm enterprise, achieving financial viability, and navigating organic transition. Organic farming is the fastest growing sector of the food industry, offering considerable opportunities for Pacific Northwest farmers. Funds will support: 1) operation of our transitioning farmer mentorship program; 2) farm business development needs assessment, pilot learning network, and early-stage training events; and 3) a series of ten webinars on diverse risk management production and business topics. The project builds on lessons learned and needs identified through a 2016 RMA-supported initiative. Our goals are to increase organic farmers' ability to manage production and financial risks as they establish their farms, transition/scale up/diversify, and develop profitable businesses. In addition to web-based training aimed at reaching a wide audience, we'll work with small groups of farmers using more intensive, long-term, one-on-one mentorship and peer learning network models. These models provide personalized, targeted support for complex, ongoing challenges; empower participants to shape their own learning experiences; and support invaluable knowledge transfer from experienced to beginning farmers.

Award Amount: $72,037
Award Type: RME
State: Idaho, Oregon, Washington
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Recipient: LD Consulting, Inc
Project: Protecting Your Cash Flow Using Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and Other Farm Financial Management Tools
Project Description: LD Consulting, Inc. in collaboration with RMA and five supporting organizations, proposes to deliver financial management education to Oregon and southwest Washington producers.

"Protect Your Cash Flow” will engage the producer:

(1) using highly interactive exercises designed to help producers:
(a) self-identify risks they think they face,
(b) examine data that shows the type, severity, timing (month) and frequency of actual loss
situations,
(c) redefine their risks more realistically.

(2) using empirically-driven case studies to identify major risks for specific crops and to demonstrate WFRP’s effect on farm cash flow.

Targeted audiences include:

(1) beginning producers entering commercial production within 2 years;
(2) producers who are identified as “organic” or “local and sustainable,” many of whom direct market some of their production;
(3) conventional, more established, often larger producers looking to protect their expected cash flow through crop diversification and/or by utilizing WFRP to limit their downside exposure to a significant decline in revenue.

The training will enable producers to strengthen their cash flow budgets immediately. But the overall goal is to help farmers make better economic decisions and to decide if they want to participate in WFRP.

Number of Producers to be Reached: 2,665; Cost per Producer: $30.12

Award Amount: $80,257
Award Type: RME
State: Oregon, Washington
Regional Office: Spokane, WA

Springfield, IL

Recipient: Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology
Project: Get Farming, Keep Farming Education Partnerships: Production, Management and Business Training for Specialty Crops Growers - 2017/18
Project Description: Get Farming, Keep Farming Education Partnerships: Production, Management and Business Training for Specialty Crops Growers” is a collaborative initiative to mitigate risk to specialty crop and small-scale livestock producers. With the support of RMA, “Get Farming! Keep Farming!” has offered farmer training in Northwest Lower Michigan since 2008. The program was first developed under Groundwork Center (formerly Michigan Land Use Institute); Crosshatch took leadership of the program in 2013. This project brings together Crosshatch, Grow Benzie, Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference, Northwest Michigan Food & Farming Network, Local Food Alliance, North Central Michigan College, and area farmers to provide risk management education. We have collected data from evaluations from 2016-2017 to inform this year’s program. Partners will collaborate to bring 70+ workshops, conferences, and classes to the region, as well as innovative learning opportunities that have come from over ten years of running workshops and listening to farmer/producer feedback. We expect to reach about 1,500 unrepeated producers.

Evaluation includes online and written surveys to determine increased knowledge and efficiency of coursework, promotions, and coordination.

Award Amount: $176,811
Award Type: RME
State: Michigan
Regional Office: Springfield, IL

Recipient: FamilyFarmed
Project: Reducing Risk: Best Practices in Food Safety, Wholesale & Direct Marketing and Postharvest handling for Springfield Region Specialty Crop Farmers
Project Description: The goal of Reducing Risk is to build the skills of 545 farmers and enable them to better understand opportunities and risks in wholesale and direct marketing, while adopting best practices that minimize their risk. FamilyFarmed will work with five partners, in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan to engage beginning, limited-resource specialty crop farmers who sell products to local food markets.

Participants will be invited to one of eight training workshops, receive a companion manual (Wholesale Success, Direct Market Success or Food Safety Binder), receive two Reducing Risk news and resource e-blasts, be introduced to the On-Farm Food Safety website where farmers can create free food safety plans, and be invited to join an online discussion group where they can find technical assistance answers, new video content and topical discussions.

Award Amount: $109,307
Award Type: RME
State: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan
Regional Office: Springfield, IL

St. Paul, MN

Recipient: Iowa Organic Association
Project: Risk Management Training and Tools for Iowa Producers and Beginning Farmers Considering Organic Transition and Product Diversification
Project Description: The project goals are to provide Iowa producers with risk-management resources and tools for making sound on-farm management decisions that reduce risk and increase success in organic recordkeeping, diversification, and organic transition. This goal will be achieved through three objectives: 1) Increase organic and sustainable producers’ knowledge and understanding of risk-management tools and strategies; 2) Promote risk-management trainings and tools to Iowa producers; and 3) Create, collect and distribute risk-management training, tools and resources to producers and evaluate the effectiveness of project training and tools.

The objectives will be achieved through a combination of classroom workshops, webinars, on-farm educational workshops, outreach events, and online communications. Through these training strategies, Iowa organic and sustainable producers will gain knowledge and tools to enable them to make sound risk-management decisions about organic production, recordkeeping, marketing, human resources, crop insurance, and business planning. The targeted audience is organic and sustainable producers in Iowa, a group historically comprised of small and limited resource producers, as well as conventional Iowa producers considering organic transition. The expected impact is that these producers will learn more about and implement available tools, resources and strategies to manage risks on their farms as they consider organic management and product diversification.

Award Amount: $73,772
Award Type: RME
State: Iowa
Regional Office: St. Paul, MN

Recipient: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Project: Women Managing Whole Farm Risks in Iowa
Project Description: The Iowa State University farm management team will apply a comprehensive approach to reach 4,000 women in agriculture with risk management information. As owners, managers and employees on Iowa’s family farms, women have significant influence. We will host exhibits at five conferences reaching 500 attendees face-to-face. News stories in local media, plus coordinated online statewide promotion of scheduled meetings and events will reach 2,150 women. Nine new risk management lessons, prepared as both factsheets and videos, will reach 900 online viewers with an average of .25 hours of training. The new lessons will cover insurance, financial benchmarking and other risk management strategies for producers of cover crops, fruits and vegetables, pasture and forages, organic corn and soybeans, corn and soybeans, swine, dairy, beef and sheep. Nine local multi-session courses across Iowa will reach 200 women with an average of 15.2 hours of training. Nine short workshops will reach another 200 women with an average of 1.5 hours of training. We will collect impacts with five Ripple Effects Mapping focus groups reaching 50 participants. When we extend knowledge and empower women in agriculture they will take important actions to manage financial, human resource, legal, marketing and production risks on family farms.
Award Amount: $112,000
Award Type: RME
State: Iowa
Regional Office: St. Paul, MN

Recipient: Practical Farmers of Iowa
Project: Farmer-led Education and Outreach: Tools for Risk Management
Project Description: Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) is a farmer-led organization with a 32-year history of research, education and outreach throughout Iowa. PFI's mission is to strengthen farms and communities through farmer-led investigation and information sharing. To build on our existing grant with RMA, we propose the following project goals:

Specialty Crop Yield Database: Complete testing and launch the online database, "Farmer-to-Farmer Data". For 2017, we request funds to promote the website and enter 15 years of past data from PFI’s on-farm research and encourage specialty crop growers to enter their farm data. This unique data will help farmers access benchmark data, compare production yields to others in the state, encourage better recordkeeping practices, and access risk management products through links to RMA on the website.
Risk Management webpage: A risk management webpage dedicated to PFI’s risk management education material. This page would cross-cut PFI programs and focus on farmer-led risk management education and collaborative presentations. The webpage will include links to current RMA materials and increase traffic to RMA’s website.
Risk assessment and management for livestock: Education on risk products for livestock producers through one PFI conference session and one farminar (farmer-led webinar).

Award Amount: $60,428
Award Type: RME
State: Iowa
Regional Office: St. Paul, MN

Recipient: Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council
Project: Crop Insurance 101 and Whole Farm Revenue Insurance for Wild Rice, Forage and Canola Farmers
Project Description: This project is an innovative collaboration between the Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council, Minnesota Canola Council, and Midwest Forage Association with Extension support. The collaboration allows us to provide six tailored risk management meetings for wild rice, canola and forage farmers under one low-cost proposal.

Protection (WFRP) as well as the most up-to-date agronomic information helping farmers reduce production risks.

The Crop Insurance 101 and WFRP presentations will aid established and next-generation farmers in better understanding and the ability to evaluate crop insurance policies suited to their operations by expanding their knowledge of crop insurance options, as well as the importance of record keeping.

Additionally, at three meetings, there will be a risk management session aimed at educating farmers on recognizing and addressing workplace stress in themselves and their employees.

These meetings will result in an otherwise hard-to-reach farmer audience, disseminating information to make better informed risk management decisions in production, finances, and human resource management on their farms.

Locations: Wild Rice – Grand Rapids, MN; Canola – Roseau, MN; Forage- Wisconsin Dells, WI and three Minnesota sites.

Award Amount: $39,719
Award Type: RME
State: Minnesota, Wisconsin
Regional Office: St. Paul, MN

Recipient: Minnesota State Colleges Central Lakes College
Project: Building capacity of beginning farmers through education on financial, marketing, production, and human risk
Project Description: The "Building capacity of beginning farmers through education on financial, marketing, production, and human risk" project is designed to educate beginning and early career farmers by applying their specific business information to four areas of risk management. Hands-on workshops will combine a risk management overview with active learning using worksheets and planning documents specifically designed to incorporate data from each farmers individual situation. Individualized at-the-business sessions will enable farmers to better apply information learned at the workshops to their operation.

AgCentric, part of the Minnesota State System, will lead a joint effort between the Farm Business Management Education Program and partners (insurance providers, lenders, and commodity organizations) to deliver risk management workshops to 7 regions of the state. Targeted producers will be beginning and early career farmers, including specialty crop farmers.

It is expected that farmers will better understand risk management concepts when applied directly to their information using active learning techniques. Participants will learn how to calculate their cost of production, benchmark their financial factors against average data for similar producers, set marketing targets, evaluate their time and employee management needs, and plan for transition opportunities.

Award Amount: $99,947
Award Type: RME
State: Minnesota
Regional Office: St. Paul, MN

Valdosta, GA

Recipient: National Crop Insurance Services
Project: Developing Marketing Plans and Strategies for Limited Resource Producers of Underserved Commodities and Specialty Crops in Alabama
Project Description: This project is an innovative collaboration between the Minnesota Cultivated Wild Rice Council, Minnesota Canola Council, and Midwest Forage Association with Extension support. The collaboration allows us to provide six tailored risk management meetings for wild rice, canola and forage farmers under one low-cost proposal.

The outcome of this project is to enable small, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged producers of underserved commodities and specialty crops in Alabama, to understand and respond to marketing risk. Participants will acquire the market analysis skills and understand their own operations sufficiently to develop and implement detailed marketing plans at the enterprise level.

Three sequential workshops (18 hours) supplemented by personal assignments and individualized counseling (60 hours) will be delivered in two locations to 60 producers via a partnership of subject matter experts and local educators. Participants will develop, for each decision variable in the Marketing Mix (product, price, place, promotion, people) a written goal, consistent with consumer preferences for their commodities. For each goal they will delineate three specific actions they will take to reach those goals, and commit to implement their specified marketing plans. Extension Educators will support and monitor progress throughout the project recording the number of actions completed.

This innovative, concentrated and iterative program, with sequential workshops, hands-on activities and individualized on-farm follow-up, provides participants an opportunity to succeed. This educational approach typically leads to long-term behavioral change, consistent with the philosophy that behavior changes are more likely with sustained personal support.

Award Amount: $107,348
Award Type: RME
State: Alabama
Regional Office: Valdosta, GA

Recipient: North-South Institute
Project: Training and Technical Assistance in Enterprise Diversification and Applied Business Planning Strategies to Mitigate Production, Marketing and Financial Risks faced by Small and Limited Resource Farmers in Selected Counties in Florida
Project Description: The long-term goal is to provide Multilingual Risk Management Education and Training to nine (9) Nucleus Lead Mentor Farmers (NLMF) and 86 Out-Grower Farmers as (OGF) as beginning small farmers and ranchers in 3 Clusters in Treasure Coast and South Florida. The Team will provide training-the-trainer and education on insurance and non-insurance based risk mitigation tools for production, marketing, operational and financial risks. The tools are (a) Insurance Based tools – training for participation in NAP and Whole-Farm Revenue Protection Plan (WFRP), and (b) Non-Insurance Based tools to include: Enterprise Development and Diversification; Farm Business Planning; GAP Certification and Food Safety for Direct Marketing and FSA Microloans. The audiences are beginning farmers and ranchers including African-Americans and Latinos, women, youth and veteran and Caribbean, African, Asian, Creole origins who are settling on old citrus lands on the treasure coast. Expected impact and results are: 95 producers implementing risk management mitigation protocols to include: purchasing NAP and WFRP, develop farm business plans (to include risk management plans, business plans, financial plans and marketing plans; 90% enrolled in NAP and 10% participating in WFRP ; 75% with better marketing arrangements; 100% improvement in farm income stability and addition of 86 farmers in US agriculture.

Award Amount: $89,100
Award Type: RME
State: Florida
Regional Office: Valdosta, GA

Recipient: Clemson Sandhill Research and Education Center
Project: Production and Marketing Risk Management for Turf Grass Sod Producers in South Carolina
Project Description: This project is a collaboration between Clemson University Extension and the South Carolina Sod Producers Association to provide production and marketing risk management education to turf grass sod producers in South Carolina.

Turf grass sod producers were chosen for three reasons: the uniqueness of their production and marketing practices, the types of crop insurance available to these producers, and the rate of growth in the turf grass sod industry. Turf grass sod is also a priority commodity.

The project funds will be spent on three turf grass sod producer meetings to cover materials and survey development (staff salary), supplies, and survey tools. The total cost of this project will be $80 per producer training hour.

The materials developed: crop insurance 101 materials, production and marketing benchmark surveys, and the collaborative production and risk management plan, will be reviewed with a specialist from the regional Risk Management Agency in Valdosta, Georgia.

The outcomes of this project will be an increased awareness of crop insurance options for turf grass sod for at least 25 producers, a production and marketing survey benchmark for at least 15 producers, and a collaborative production and marketing risk management plan for at least 15 producers.

Award Amount: $12,041
Award Type: RME
State: South Carolina
Regional Office: Valdosta, GA

Recipient: Florida Certified Growers & Consumers, Inc.
Project: Sowing the Seeds of Success: Practical Recordkeeping Solutions for Organic Certification
Project Description: The five state/territory region served by the Valdosta regional RMA office offers strong potential to expand the number of certified organic producers and thus narrow the gap between it and other states/regions.

As more growers in this region express interest in organic farming, there is a continuing need for risk management training and recordkeeping in particular.

After conducting at least 15 in-depth phone interviews to ascertain the specific recordkeeping challenges in the region served by the Valdosta office, FOG will create a series of professionally-produced, high-quality online videos (including one Spanish-language video) featuring producers offering real-world solutions to the recordkeeping challenges identified in the interview phase. RMA staff will be asked to review video rough cuts and provide feedback.

Behind a targeted, robust marketing campaign supported by ally organizations and distributed through a diverse suite of platforms, FOG will publicize the video series to organic operations and others in the five state/territory region served by the Valdosta office. Further, FOG will coordinate an in-person recordkeeping training session and webinar at its Organic Food & Farming Summit in September 2018.

Overall, we estimate the project to impact 2,500 producers in the grant period and considerably more beyond the funded grant period.

Award Amount: $106,935
Award Type: RME
State: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Puerto Rico
Regional Office: Valdosta, GA

Recipient: Dubois Institute for Entrepreneurship Inc.
Project: Seeds for Prosperity Risk Management Education Program
Project Description: Dubois Institute “Seeds of Prosperity Risk Management Education Program” in conjunction with Widget Development & Trading Company and key partnerships will provide Risk Management training in urban and rural settings. The program objective is to increase participant (U.S. farmers and ranchers, including limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and other traditionally under-served farmers and ranchers) educational knowledge of crop insurance protections and current and emerging risk management practices; use of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) programs, products, and services. Participants will also learn financial management, farm benchmarking, marketing and product development & GAP certification. The program will provide training for 150 participants, targeting 25 participants from each of the six(6) cities and webinars sessions. We will conduct one-day training sessions in six (6) cities. Followed by up to twelve(12) follow-up webinars to reinforce learning objectives based on identified participant need. Service delivery will be via webinar, and training sessions at (6) cities; (3) sessions in Alabama: Eufaula, Demopolis, and Hayneville and (3) sessions in Georgia: Brunswick, Milledgeville and Statesboro. Expected participant’s result: 40% participant enrollment rate in FCIC crop insurance programs.

Award Amount: $116,995
Award Type: RME
State: Alabama, Georgia
Regional Office: Valdosta, GA

Topeka, KS

Recipient: Center for Rural Affairs
Project: Introduction to Risk Management: Empowering Absentee Women Landowners in Nebraska
Project Description: Women landowners generally share a commitment to environmental, economic, and social sustainability. However, many lack basic risk management knowledge required to engage in farm decisions, and end up at the mercy of tenants’ choices. This project provides Crop Insurance 101 and overall risk management education for women landowners, which will empower them to manage their land according to their goals.

The project will address absentee women landowners in Nebraska, targeting Omaha and Lincoln.

Education will include basic crop insurance information as part of an introduction to managing the five areas of risk: production, marketing, financial, legal, and human risk.

Training will be provided with an introductory presentation followed by learning circles. Learning circles combine peer learning with expert instruction, and build a supportive network. The introductory workshop will introduce risk management and provide a risk management planning worksheet. Two cohorts of learning circle groups will then gather for three sessions each, addressing: in-depth risk management education; applied risk management (farm tour); and peer learning and troubleshooting on participants’ risk management plans.

The project will improve landowners’ risk management literacy and planning, enabling them to work effectively with tenants to manage their farms according to their stewardship and financial goals.

Award Amount: $78,000
Award Type: RME
State: Nebraska
Regional Office: Topeka, KS

Recipient: Master Stockman Consulting
Project: Risk Management Education for Livestock, Beginning, Women and Traditional Producers in RMA's Topeka Region
Project Description: Master Stockman Consulting (MSC) proposes to work with RMA and four partner organizations to deliver training in risk management and crop insurance topics with target audiences of livestock, beginning, women and traditional producers in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska in the Topeka Region.

MSC will have direct contact with 640 producers with 17 training events in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. MSC will also reach 5,000 producers through 4 informational pieces (articles, mailings, social media). Informational pieces and training materials will be distributed in Spanish as well.

The program and informational pieces will focus on providing producers with tools that enable them to improve their decision making process and mitigate risk. Topical coverage will include LRP for cattle and lamb, Pasture Rangeland Forage, Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and the utilization of economic tools on the Wyoming Ranch Tools website to analyze decisions. Use of these tools will improve producers decision making process and help them make risk mitigation decisions. A Crop Insurance 101 webinar will be recorded in English and Spanish, and used to supplement each of the program workshops.

The following Partners will be integral in accomplishing the project:

Agrimind
Colorado FFA Foundation
Nebraska Cattlemen's Association
Superior Farms

Award Amount: $99,759
Award Type: RME
State: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
Regional Office: Topeka, KS

Recipient: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Project: Risk Management Education for Livestock and Forage Producers, Women in Agriculture, and New and Beginning Producers in the Topeka Region
Project Description: This project will focus on delivering risk management education to three key underserved audiences in the states of Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri: livestock and forage producers; women involved in agriculture (WIA); and, new and beginning producers.

WIA-The goal is to reach women farmers and ranchers and agriculture industry professionals with specific information and updates on crop and forage insurance. Nebraska and Missouri will host individual WIA conferences with expected attendance totaling over 400 women. Each conference will include a minimum of 5 hours of risk management training. WIA audiences will also include new, beginning and transitioning producers. Impacts will include helping producers implement the best insurance plan for their operation.

Livestock and forage producers - the goal for this audience is mitigation of production and financial risk inherent to their operation(s). This includes understanding, evaluation, implementation, and long-term adoption of risk management tools and principles. Education on Rainfall Index (PRF and Annual Forage), LRP and Whole Farm insurance programs will be emphasized.

New/beginning producers - the goal for this audience is an improved understanding of risk sources, tools available to mitigate, sources of information, and a targeted behavior change that promotes risk management over profit maximization in livestock and forage operations.

Award Amount: $98,439
Award Type: RME
State: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
Regional Office: Topeka, KS

Recipient: FamilyFarmed
Project: Best Practices in Food Safety, Wholesale & Direct Marketing and Postharvest handling for Topeka Region Specialty Crop Farmers
Project Description: The goal of Reducing Risk is to build the skills of 185 farmers and enable them to better understand opportunities and risks in wholesale and direct marketing, while adopting best practices that minimize their risk. FamilyFarmed will work with three partners, in Colorado and Kansas to engage beginning, limited-resource specialty crop farmers who sell products to local food markets.

Award Amount: $50,766
Award Type: RME
State: Colorado, Kansas
Regional Office: Topeka, KS

Recipient: Agra View LLC
Project: Comprehensive Crop Insurance Education to Livestock, Specialty Crops, and Organic Crops Producers in RMA’s Topeka Region
Project Description: Agra View proposes to deliver crop insurance education to Livestock producers in the states of Kansas and Missouri. This training will include crop insurance basic concepts; program information on RMA’s Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), the Livestock Gross Margin Program (LGM), Annual Forage (AF), Forage Production (FP), and the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage Program (PRF) as well as the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and Non-insured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). PRF tools will be demonstrated as well.

We will provide education to Specialty Crop Producers on Whole Farm Revenue (WFRP) and recordkeeping, Organic Crops, and Apiculture (API).

The targeted audience will include Livestock, Women, Beginning, Hispanic, Limited Resource, Small Farm and Ranch, Specialty crops, Organic, Sustainable, Value-added, and traditional producers.

We will translate educational materials into Spanish and will place these materials on our website http://agraview.com/.

We will reach 5,325 producers through training; 127,520 producers through our website and our partner’s websites/publications; and 150 more through one-on-one sessions on PRF tools for a total of 5,475 producers reached.

Cost Per Producer: $17.66

The education will increase producers´ awareness of crop insurance programs to determine the best crop insurance program for their individual farming operation.

Award Amount: $96,428
Award Type: RME
State: Kansas, Missouri
Regional Office: Topeka, KS

National

Recipient: Organic Seed Alliance
Project: On-farm Variety Trials: Trainings and Toolkit for Risk Management of Organic and Specialty Crop Producers
Project Description: Identifying optimum genetics through variety trials is a sound risk management tool for producers. Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) will train organic and specialty crop growers in on-farm variety trial skills through four on-farm workshops, two conference workshops, a three-part series of live webinars hosted by eOrganic, and delivery of an innovative online toolkit that includes archived webinars, digital publication of an on-farm trial guide, and online trial evaluation and data analysis tools. Access to these skills will reduce producers' risks of crop loss, increase crop agronomic success and marketability, and facilitate compliance with the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP) regulations for organic certification. This project is a strong program partnership between OSA, University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison), the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Services (MOSES) and RMA. Educational trainings will target specialty crop producers including organic and transitional vegetable, herb and flower producers. This project will reach an estimated 570 producers across the US, with face-to-face outreach in three states in the Midwest, a region prioritized for outreach and stakeholder input, and which has a large target demographic of certified organic farms.
Award Amount: $94,654
Award Type: RME
State: Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Regional Office: National

Recipient: The Rice Foundation
Project: Mitigating financial risk for specialty variety and organic rice producers through training on Crop Insurance, Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP), Prevented Planting, and Record Keeping for Organic Crops.
Project Description: US rice producers have faced years of increased risk, battling inclement weather, lower prices, and changes to risk management options. In May, floods destroyed 100,000 acres of Arkansas rice, bringing the worst crop since 1984 (University of Arkansas). Rain in Texas/Louisiana cost producers $10 million in lost revenue (Southwest Farm Press); in California, rains delayed planting, with 2017 yields expected to be negatively impacted. This has particularly hurt specialty (basmati, arborio, jasmine, akitako-machi, calmochi, wild rice, among others) and organic rice producers (specialty crop), as they are often small producers, with limited resources. The Rice Foundation (RF), the independent educational arm of USA Rice Federation, represents many of these producers. GOAL is targeting a national risk management education program to these priority commodity producers (audience). OBJECTIVE is to educate (via Conference/State Meetings) on Crop Insurance, Whole Farm Revenue Protection, Prevented Planting, and Record Keeping for Organic Crops (2017 FCIC Priorities). Activities are in San Antonio & six states (see SOW). Results/impact include producers maximizing revenues/efficiency, adopting crop insurance, and better mitigating weather-related losses. Results will be measured by surveys, interviews, and pre/post-assessments. Program directly reaches 565 producers; estimate supported by extensive experience conducting educational seminars/conferences.
Award Amount: $102,217
Award Type: RME
State: Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas
Regional Office: National

Recipient: Utah State University
Project: Targeted Risk Management Education for Small Specialty Crop Producers and underserved farmers
Project Description: This project will address the needs of under-served audiences in Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Arizona. The primary target audience is small farmers with specific programming for immigrant, Native Americans and Hispanic producers.

Programs include: 1) 2-day small farms/urban farming conference in Utah including: production, crop insurance, financial and risk management topics; 2) programs for immigrant farmers: 4-hour workshop and summer farm tour; 3) Beginning farm workshops: 8 40-minute session topics, hands on demos, and ask the expert stations (bee keeping, chickens, integrated pest management, irrigation and specialty crop production); 4) Native American workshops: 2-day Indian Agriculture Summit in Nevada, 2 2-day start to farm workshops in Utah and 2-4 1-hour Native American financial/tax presentations in Arizona; 5) Hispanic farmers: 1 hour beginning gardening session and translation of 8 fact sheets to Spanish; 6) Local specialty crops: 3 6-hour workshops in Idaho, 3-hour field day in Utah, and specialist working with individual crop producers to solve production issues; 7) distribute crop insurance materials at workshops in 6 Utah counties; and 8) write fact sheets and post online: 2 on RuralTax.org, and 10 specialty crops.

Project will reach 1,600 producers through face-to-face presentations and 620 through online materials, 6,748 producer contact hours.

Award Amount: $166,156
Award Type: RME
State: Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Utah
Regional Office: National

Recipient: Custom Ag Solutions
Project: Risk Management and Crop Insurance Program Training for Cattle Growers in AZ, KS, NE, NM, OK, and TX
Project Description: Custom Ag Solutions (CAS) will work with RMA and six organizational partners to provide cattle producers with information and and a new, econometrically sound pricing tool to improve producers' market risk management capabilities and pricing decisions.

Working across six leading cattle states (AZ, KS, NE, NM, OK, and TX), the CAS team will conduct on-site training and promote availability of the “Price and Breakeven Analysis Tool” (PBAT) through an expansive promotional campaign as follows.

9 training workshops reaching 1,350 cattle producers; and,
24 informational / promotional contacts, delivered via newsletter articles, email updates, and/or social media posts, reaching 13,650 cattle producers.

In addition, cattle producers across the region will benefit by being provided access to the innovative and highly useful PBAT, available on the BeefBasis.com website.

Beyond addressing a priority commodity (livestock), the partnership will target other RMA priorities: LRP, PRF, and WFRP. Futher, the partnership satisfies Project Goal (A.3) wherein FCIC seeks projects that will “become self-sustaining and not indefinitely dependent on FCIC funds.” Specifically, following the partnership’s end on September 28, 2018, CAS guarantees continued support and availability of the PBAT, for producers in the six targeted states, for at least another two years, until September 28, 2020.

Award Amount: $142,800
Award Type: RME
State: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
Regional Office: National

Recipient: Farmers' Legal Action Group Inc. (FLAG)
Project: Understanding Legal Risk and Making Sound Decisions: Training and Resources on Crop Insurance for Specialty Crop, Beginning and Under-Served Producers
Project Description: Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG), a long-term trusted partner of RMA, will continue its crop insurance and risk management education and outreach to specialty crop, beginning and under-served farmers through in-person workshops and consults, custom-developed written guides, and broad promotional efforts. This project will focus on: 1) Crop Insurance 101, with a focus on understanding the basic contractual agreement and legal risks; and 2) the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) program, using an electronic book developed by FLAG with a prior RMEP award. Both topics will be covered in workshops and 1:1 consults with farmers. FLAG will also address other key legal risks for the targeted audience of producers. Outreach efforts will be conducted throughout the Midwest region and in Texas through partnerships with other organizations. FLAG will reach 770 producers with this project through 11 in-person workshops; 50 individual producer consults; distribution of written guides on crop insurance; and a field day on production risks offered by partner Minnesota Food Association. As a result of this project, beginning and under-served specialty crop producers will have increased awareness of how crop insurance and WFRP can benefit their operations, and the legal risks involved with these tools.

Award Amount: $83,564
Award Type: RME
State: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Texas, Wisconsin
Regional Office: National

Recipient: Farm Commons
Project: Creating Long-Term Farm Law Risk Reduction Through Peer Training
Project Description: As a result of this project, 330 farmers will implement at least one of 6 essential risk-reducing steps including purchasing crop and liability insurance, complying with farm employment laws, maintaining records of food safety, keeping accurate accounting, forming an LLC or corporation, and drafting thorough sales agreements. We will achieve these results by combining online and offline strategies. We will deliver Farm Law 101, a day-long interactive and farmer-led workshop that empowers farmers with fundamental legal risk management and crop insurance strategies in 3 states. The workshop trains farmer co-presenters to instruct alongside expert attorneys. The workshops are complimented by an online strategy. Workshop attendees will use an online platform to report back on their efforts to implement changes, in a facilitated forum. Also, we will create 3 engaging tutorials on farm insurance and liability, farmland leases, and farm business structures/entities to reach more farmers. The tutorials will feature farmer input and solutions, as well. This project leverages our past RMA agreements. Our workshop is based on the My Farm Law To Do List and materials developed in a 2013, 2014 and 2016 RMA Cooperative Agreements. The tutorials are upgraded, interactive versions of webinars developed under a 2014 cooperative agreement.

Award Amount: $63,448
Award Type: RME
State: Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin
Regional Office: National

Recipient: Organic Farming Research Foundation
Project: RISK MANAGEMENT INNOVATION AND EDUCATION FOR ORGANIC AND TRANSITIONING PRODUCERS
Project Description: Throughout the history of organic agriculture, practitioners have emphasized healthy, living soil as the foundation of sustainable and successful farming. Today we know that soil health is essential for managing risk and building resilience for agricultural producers. This project will improve risk management among organic producers and assist the successful transition of more producers to meet the increasing unmet demand for U.S. grown organic products. The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) will accomplish this by creating educational materials to increase organic farmers’ knowledge about risk management products (i.e., crop insurance options "101") and risk-reducing soil-health strategies to over 10,000 organic and transitional producers nationwide. Managing risk is of utmost importance for organic producers, especially specialty crop producers. Our strategy is to educate organic and transitioning growers on two major components of risk management: 1) enrollment in crop insurance programs; and 2) risk avoidance through the implementation of best soil health management practices. This will be accomplished in close cooperation with USDA-RMA through development and broad dissemination of two education guides, associated webinars, workshops, and events for both existing and transitioning organic farmers. Our team of influential leaders in organic will lead this project to success.

Award Amount: $99,224
Award Type: RME
State: 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
Regional Office: National

Recipient: Organic Seed Alliance
Project: Economic risk management training for organic seed producers
Project Description: The lack of adequate quantities of organic seed is recognized as a weak link in organic systems and has resulted in ongoing exemptions to the National Organic Program seed regulations. While organic seed production is a developing industry and a viable opportunity for organic growers, there is a lack of information and educational support on managing risk when producing and marketing organic seed. This project will help organic seed producers reduce their financial risks through an organic seed economics intensive hosted in conjunction with Oregon State University at the Organic Seed Growers Conference in Corvallis, Oregon. In addition to the live training, a webinar series and on-line tutorial will be created to reach organic seed producers throughout the country. In all, an estimated 375 producers nationwide will be introduced to educational resources that can reduce their financial risks.

Award Amount: $47,760
Award Type: RME
State: 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
Regional Office: National

Recipient: TSNE MissionWorks
Project: Risk Management Educational Resources and Methods for Refugee Farmers
Project Description: Risk management education for beginning refugee farmers requires intermediaries to provide hands-on services, training and technical assistance (T&TA), and interpretation. Over 60 refugee farming incubators nationwide do this work, but they have lacked suitable T&TA resources tailored to educating refugees with limited England language, literacy, and education. ISED Solutions at TSNE MissionWorks will engage four refugee incubator partners to co-develop four 15-20-page refugee-specific resources, covering crop insurance, crop irrigation, cover cropping, and recordkeeping on organic crops. The modules combine instructor guidance and audience content specifically tailored for diverse beginning refugee farmer participants. The incubators will pilot the modules to deliver outreach, training and technical assistance to a combined 50+ refugee beginning farms, and provide feedback. Several additional Risk Management education topics will also be delivered via classroom sessions, workshops and field-based technical assistance. Photos of production and marketing activities will be taken to bolster ISED”s PhotoBank, available to all incubators for their T&TA classroom applications and materials. Hard copies and electronic versions of the four modules will be delivered to 50 refugee farming incubators nationwide to support their T&TA for 1000+ enrolled farmers. ISED will also co-host a national conference for refugee incubators to learn and share strategies and resources.

Award Amount: $99,539
Award Type: RME
State: Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Tennessee
Regional Office: National

Recipient: Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
Project: Testing Reduction of Dairy Financial Risk through Grazing and Insurance
Project Description: Dairy farmers using managed grazing (MiG) in the Upper Midwest demonstrate the potential for reduced feed costs and higher profitability when well-managed pasture is a major source of forage. Wider adoption of MiG into dairy systems has been limited due to concerns about labor costs, risk, and unfamiliarity with grazing techniques and forage crop insurance. Documentation of these factors will help dairy farmers make sound decisions and educators give better advice. This project will collect and analyze data clarifying financial risks and benefits of MiG and crop insurance. Data sources will be 7 case studies of dairy operations in IL, IA, MN and WI that use MiG, existing dairy grazing financials; and forage crop insurance information. Case studies and fact sheets will be developed in collaboration with RMA. Field days will convey information about MiG and financial and environmental risk reduction to farmers and educators in 7 locations across the four states of IL, IA, MN and WI. There will be 5,470 farmer and 225 educator contacts; 280 farmers and 70 educators will gain face-to-face knowledge MiG and financial performance; 75 farmers will pursue steps toward adopting MiG; 30 farmers will draft grazing plans.

Award Amount: $95,920
Award Type: RME
State: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Regional Office: National

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