USDA invests $3 Million in farmer risk management training

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is awarding up to $3 million for cooperative agreements to educate underserved, small-scale and organic producers on risk management and climate-smart practices.

RMA’s Risk Management Education Partnerships provide funding for organizations, such as nonprofits and land grant universities, to develop training and resources for producers about risk management options like crop insurance.

“This funding is integral to our outreach efforts in communities that historically have not had access to training about risk management options. Our Risk Management Education partnerships are part of USDA’s broader efforts to ensure equity and access to programs,” RMA administrator Marcia Bunger said in a news release. “As a farmer, I know first-hand that agriculture is a risky business. We want to work with growers and livestock producers to provide them training and resources about risk management options and how to apply them to their farming businesses.”

In 2023, RMA helped provide the largest farm safety net in history, a record $207 billion in protection for American agriculture. At the same time, the agency continued to introduce new programs to better support a broader range of producers, including specialty crop, livestock, controlled environment and shellfish producers. Risk Management Education partnerships are critical to making sure the farm safety net and new programs are effectively delivered to agricultural producers who need them.

This $3 million Risk Management Education investment builds on the $13 million that RMA has already provided in partnerships since 2021. Previous recipients, which include universities, county cooperative extension offices and nonprofit organizations, developed education tools that assist and train producers on how to effectively manage long-term risks and challenges in agriculture production.

Interested organizations may apply for funding by submitting documentation required as part of the Notice of Funding Opportunity. A broad range of risk management training activities are eligible for funding consideration, including training on crop insurance options, record keeping, financial management, non-insurance-based risk management tools, natural disaster preparedness and securing local food systems through risk management.

Interested entities should apply through grants.gov by March 4.

The service is available to underserved communities, ag-related non-profits, Tribal colleges and universities, Tribal higher education programs, 1890 Land Grant Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities. Interested parties should email rma.risk-ed@usda.gov for details.