Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The Center's program efforts reachproducers and educators across the broad range of geography, demographics, and agricultural systems across the North Central region. Special emphasis audiences includebeginning farmers or ranchers; legal immigrant farmers; socially disadvantaged farmers, including women; transitioning or retiring farmers; and veteran farmers and ranchers. The Center also reaches producers underserved by crop insurance through our program area in the RFA targeted to that specific focus area. The North Central region serves producers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The North Central Centerco-hosted the 2024National Extension Risk Management Education Conference on April 9-11, 2024 in Salt Lake City, UT. A preconference, 48 concurrent sessions, and a poster session were held within a 2-day period with approximately 200 participants representing educators and producers from across the country. The North Central Center had a large number of participants from our region, with many presenting on Center-funded projects and regionally significant projects. This conference also provided an opportunity for Center staff to listen to presentations on a variety of risk management education programs and to network with colleagues and other professionals in the risk management arena. A national ERME program meeting was held in July 2024. Additionally, all training and education efforts that arise from our competitive grants program and subawards are catalogued on the Extension Risk Management Education website at extensionrme.org under Funding and Completed Projects. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results of our efforts have been disseminated to the communities of interest in the following ways: 1) Publications, curricula, videos, and other outputs and tools produced as a result of projects funded through the Center are posted on the ERME website at www.extensionrme.org, as well as the Ag Risk & Farm Management website at agrisk.umn.edu. 2) Success stories that arise from completed projects have been prepared to demonstrate the risk management education results and impacts for participating institutions, producers, and ERME stakeholders, including agency and Congressional contacts. These stories, along with Outstanding Project Award winners are available on our website under Funded Projects at ncerme.org. 3) Marketing efforts at conferences share results of projects by the Center and provide opportunities for participants to learn about the program and how to apply for funding to support future producer focused risk management education. 4) Project directors often have presentations and/or poster displays during sessions at the Extension Risk Management Education Conference and other educational and professional meetings. These sessions allow for attendees to learn about methods, results, and outcomes of a variety of previously funded projects. 5) Project results, risk management issues, and identified risk management education needs are also shared on the Center's website at ncerme.org. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?This prime award funded two years of grants, so in the next reporting period, we will be wrapping up the second year of projects. The projects will end and final reports will be submitted. The final reports will be reviewed for proper reporting standards and we will work with the project directors if any clarification/edits are needed. Once approved, final reports will be made publically available on the extensionrme.org website. Success stories will be written for projects that provide a clear picture of producer participation, outcomes achieved and impact as a result of participating in the program. This award will still support additional efforts of the Center to include needs assessment, communication, and capacity building efforts.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center (NCERMEC or the "Center") delivers risk management education to help agricultural producers manage risks and position their farm or ranch for future growth and success. The Center identifies and assesses producer risk management education needs and emerging issues through efforts with multiple producer and stakeholder groups, including special emphasis and underserved producer audiences. Building on needs assessment results, the Center implements an annual competitive grants program for both education and exploratory projects that deliver or lead to producer-focused, outcomes-based risk management education. The Center's overall efforts address producer needs, increase the capacity of producers to adopt to improved risk management practices and decision making, and help support financially sustainable, competitive, and prosperous agricultural production operations and systems. Since 2001, the Center has awarded 523projects and over $18.7million in funding to public, private, and non-profit entities to carry out producer-focused, outcomes-based risk management education programs. Projects completed to date have reported reaching more than 170,000farm and ranch participants and generating more than 525,688measurable producer actions to better manage risks on the farm or ranch. The Center continues to focus on Needs Assessment; Grants Program, Capacity Building and Evaluation; and Communications/Reporting to implement a successful program. Needs Assessment.One of the key objectives of the Center is to determine the needs of the producers in the region. This needs assessment is gathered through meetings and focus groups with stakeholder groups. During this reporting period, the Center met with our Institutional Listening group in June to assess producer risk management issues and needs for agricultural risk management education. We held a focus group meeting with Latino producers in Nebraska in July to identify the needs and issues facing this audience in our region. We also toured Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, the Fond du Lac Ojibwe School Community Garden, and the Fond du Lac Reservation Gitigann and Na'enimonigamig (garden, cannery, and community kitchen)to learn about the needs and issues facingNative American producers in our region.As a result of these meetings, two needs assessment reports were prpeared for our Advisory Council to review as they consideredon regional funding priorities (they will be published in Septemberon the Center website to share our efforts with applicants and to educate others). The Center also met with our Advisory Council in August to share our needs assessment findings and further discuss and identify current needs of the region.These efforts lead to and support the regional priority language to ensure that the 2025 RFA reflects current and emerging risk management education needs. Competitive Grants Program, Capacity Building, and Evaluation.The first year of competitive grants under this award, the 2022 projects were completed during this reporting period. Twenty-four total projects were awarded with16 education, 5 producers underserved by crop insurance, and 3 exploratory projects. Final reports have been received for 22 of 24 projects to date.These projects reported against 185 producer outcomes which participants learned, achieved, and applied as a result of participation in the grant programs. The grants encompassed all five of the major risk areas with the highest number of outcomes reported against Production risk (56), followed by Human risk (50), Financial risk (42), Legal risk (22), and Marketing risk (15). Our educational programs helped producers increase their understanding of risk management concepts and strategies (81 Understand outcomes led to 11,038 producer actions), analyze their risk management alternatives (34 Analyze outcomes led to 4,748 producer actions), develop a risk management plan or tool (26 Develop outcomes led to 1,699 producer actions), decide what action to take (15 Decide outcomes led to 673 producer actions)and implement the plan, tool, or an aspect of it (29 Implement outcomes led to 876 producer actions). Overall, the 2022 grants reached 7,201 participants and generated 19,034 measurable producer actions to better manage risk on the farm or ranch. The 2023 grants are the second and final year funded under this specific prime award and are ending at the end of September. This includes 21 total projects: 15 education; 5 producers underserved by crop insurance and,1 exploratory project. The final reports are due at the end of Octoberand the final outcomes and impacts of these projects will be reported in the next annual report. Reporting and Communication.We have implemented a communications strategy that documents and communicates the impact of the program to risk management education stakeholders and the public. TheRFA funding opportunities were widely broadcast through our listserv and social media sources. In support of the ERME program, the Center staff participated in monthly conference calls and national committee meetings and participated in the ERME program meeting in July of 2024. The Center has focused on capacity-building and one method is by attending conferences to reach new audiences and potential applicants. In November of 2023, the Center took part in the National Ag Marketing Summit in Washington D.C. where the ERME Program sponsored a session track at the summit and an ERME exhibit was displayed and staffed by the Centerthroughout the meeting. ERME displayed at the NACAA conference in Dallas, TXand another Center staffed that display this year.The Center sponsored both the AAEA Extension Section meeting and Extension Outlook Conference in August, reaching Extension and other ag professionals. One success story and one outstanding project award winner story were written during this reporting period from projects funded in previous years in Nebraska and North Dakota. The stories demonstrate the risk management education results and impacts that the projects had on producers across the region. These stories are available on our website at https://ncerme.org/success-and-legacy-stories. Supporting Efforts.The Center continued to contribute to additional efforts in support of risk management education. We released an annual RFA for competitive grants under the 2023 Prime Award (2023-70027-40444) and awarded 30 projects that are currently ongoing. During this reporting period, the Center is also managing an additional competitive grant program focused on Meat & Poultry Processing.Four projects are ongoing with progress report and invoice management through May 31, 2025under award number 2022-70419-38561. The Center is also a collaborating partner in the Agricultural Financial, Tax and Asset Protection (AgFTAP) education program to enhance farmer and rancher ability to understand and navigate farm business tax and asset protection decisions for their operations under federal award number FSA22CPT0012189, subaward GR017178. The Center supports educational programming through subawards to states across the North Central Region. These subawards are ending in September, and our subaward will be ending in October.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Chauhan, M., B. Lubben. Insurance, Policy, and Education for Livestock Producers. Cornhusker Economics. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Weekly. Oct. 11, 2023. Available at: https://agecon.unl.edu/insurance-policy-and-education-livestock-producers
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Lockert, C., S. Aikanathan Johnson, and B. Lubben. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center Helps Producers Manage Risks, Part I. Cornhusker Economics. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Weekly. May 8, 2024. Available at: https://agecon.unl.edu/north-central-extension-risk-management-education-center-helps-producers-manage-risks-0
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S., C. Lockert, and B. Lubben. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center - Activities and Success Stories, Part II. Cornhusker Economics. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Weekly. May 15, 2024. Available at: https://agecon.unl.edu/part-ii-north-central-extension-risk-management-education-center-%E2%80%93-activities-and-success-stories
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Lubben, B., C. Lockert, S. Aikanathan Johnson, and M. Chauhan. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center - Outcomes and Impacts, Part III. Cornhusker Economics. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Weekly. May 22, 2024. Available at: https://agecon.unl.edu/part-iii-north-central-extension-risk-management-education-center-%E2%80%93-outcomes-and-impacts
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. "Risk Management Education for Nebraska Livestock and Forage Producers Underserved by Crop Insurance". Outstanding Project Award Winner - Producer Impact Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. March 2023.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. "Maximizing Profit Opportunities in Pulse Crops". Success Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. March 2023.
|
Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The Center's program efforts reaches producers and educators across the broad range of geography, demographics, and agricultural systems across the North Central region. Special emphasis audiences including; beginning farmers or ranchers; legal immigrant farmers; socially disadvantaged farmers, including women; transitioning or retiring farmers; and veteran farmers and ranchers. The Center also reaches producers underserved by crop insurance through our targeted RFA to that group.The North Central region serves producers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. While our efforts target the entire region, the projects funded during the secondyear of this award will directly reach producers in10of our 12 states (IA, KS, MI, MN, MO,ND, NE, OH, SD, WI). Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The Center offered an online webinar directed towards potential applicants in October 2022. The webinar had 17 participants and a link was made available for later viewing as well. This webinar outlined the RFA, the evaluative criteria, and tips on the application process. The Center also provided training to our Advisory Council on November 29, 2022 via webinar to orient them to our review and deliberation process, highlighting the conflict of interest policy and evaluative criteria to consider when reviewing applications. In a continued effort to support and build capacity to deliver risk management education on various topics through Center-funded and directed efforts, the Center organized a Train-the-Trainer workshop in Omaha, NE on Jan. 4-6, 2023 for 3 full days of professional development and training.The workshop covered specific topics each day, with the Agricultural Financial, Tax, and Asset Protection (AgFTAP) program on Day 1; crop insurance economics, decisions, and education on Day 2; and carbon offset education on Day 3. The workshops were well attended with approximately 55 participants. A project director orientation and training workshop for the project directors of newly funded projects was held on March 29, 2023. The workshop focused on providing project directors with the tools and information to administer their grants, evaluate their programs, and be able to provide good written outcomes. 15of the 21projects had representation at this meeting, those who were not in attendance have all led previous projects. We did follow-up with them separately to make sure they have the most current information. The North Central Center also co-hosted the 2023 National Extension Risk Management Education Conference on March 27-29, 2023 in Chicago, IL. A preconference, 49 concurrent sessions, and a poster session were held within a 2-day period with approximately 180 participants representing educators and producers from across the country. The North Central Center had a large number of participants from our region, with many presenting on Center-funded projects and regionally significant projects. This conference also provided an opportunity for Center staff to listen to presentations on a variety of risk management education programs and to network with colleagues and other professionals in the risk management arena. A national ERME program meeting was held in July 2023.This meeting included a professional development session on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to expand upon what was learned from our meeting the prior year. Additionally, all training and education efforts that arise from our competitive grants program and subawards are catalogued on the Extension Risk Management Education website at extensionrme.org. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results of our efforts have been disseminated to the communities of interest in the following ways: 1) Publications, curricula, videos, and other outputs and tools produced as a result of projects funded through the Center are posted on the ERME website at www.extensionrme.org, as well as the Ag Risk & Farm Management website at agrisk.umn.edu. 2) Success stories that arise from completed projects have been prepared to demonstrate the risk management education results and impacts for participating institutions, producers, and ERME stakeholders, including agency and Congressional contacts. These stories, along with Outstanding Project Award winners are available on our website under Funded Projects at ncerme.org. 3) Marketing efforts at conferences share results of projects by the Center and provide opportunities for participants to learn about the program and how to apply for funding to support future producerfocused risk management education. 4) Project directors often have presentations and/or poster displays during sessions at the Extension Risk Management Education Conference and other educational and professional meetings. These sessions allow for attendees to learn about methods, results, and outcomes of a variety of previously funded projects. 5) Project results, risk management issues, and identified risk management education needs are also shared on the Center's website at ncerme.org. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The Center will continue to work on implementing and meeting our goals and objectives over the next year. The next RFA will be released widely and we will continue to attempt to reach both returning and new applicants. Training will be provided to potential applicants to encourage strong applications that focus on changes in producer practices (outcome-based, producer-focused projects) with good evaluation efforts in place. The Center will continue our national collaboration on evaluation, development of evaluation resources, and improved measurement of project results, impacts, and effectiveness. Communication efforts will continue with the publication of additional success stories, and a goal to develop and distribute a regional newsletter. The Center will continue to participate in and support relevant meetings and conferences to share the work of the Center and the funding opportunity the ERME program provides. Communication outreach will continue through an updated website, updated mailing list, and social media postings. The information we gather through the needs assessment process with meeting with our Institutional Listening Group, Special Emphasis/Underserved Producer Listening Group, Advisory Council, and the North Central Farm Management Extension Committee will be used to produce reports to be published and made available on our website for potential applicants and stakeholders. This information will help inform the development of our regional priority language for the 2025RFA to be released in September 2024.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center (NCERMEC or the "Center") delivers risk management education to help agricultural producers manage risks and position their farm or ranch for future growth and success. The Center identifies and assesses producer risk management education needs and emerging issues through efforts with multiple producer and stakeholder groups, including special emphasis and underserved producer audiences. Building on needs assessment results, the Center implements an annual competitive grants program for both education and exploratory projects that deliver or lead to producer-focused, outcomes-based risk management education. The Center's overall efforts address producer needs, increase the capacity of producers to adopt to improved risk management practices and decision making, and help support financially sustainable, competitive, and prosperous agricultural production operations and systems. Since 2001, the Center has awarded 493 projects and over $17 million in funding to public, private, and non-profit entities to carry out producer-focused, outcomes-based risk management education programs. Projects completed to date have reported reaching more than 159,000 farm and ranch participants and generating more than 499,000 measurable producer actions to better manage risks on the farm or ranch. The Center continues to focus on Needs Assessment;Grants Program, Capacity Building and Evaluation;and Communications/Reporting to implement a successful program. Needs Assessment.The Center met with stakeholder groups to assess producer risk management issues and needs for agricultural risk management education. We met with our Institutional Listening Group and Special Emphasis/Underserved Producer Listening Group in June. The Institutional Listening Group consists of members from farm organizations, universities, insurance agents, lending institutions, and agricultural producers. The SE/UP Listening Group consists of producers and professionals representing beginning farmers and ranchers, women, the Native American community, the immigrant community, the farmer-veteran community, the Hispanic community, the Black farmer community, and small farm/local foods/sustainable agriculture organizations among other target audiences. This group engaged in discussion to identify current issues and risk management priorities they see producers facing within the region. As a result, a needs assessment report was produced and shared with the Advisory Council to help inform their decision on priority language in the RFA and was published on the Center website to share our efforts and educate potential applicants and others. The Center is working to meet with individual members of our Special Emphasis/Underserved Producer Listening group to do producer meetings when feasible. The Center met with our Advisory Council in Green Bay, WI in July. This group discussed and identified current needs of the region, reviewed the needs assessment report, and set priority language to ensure the 2024 RFA reflects current and emerging risk management education needs. Grants Program, Capacity Building, and Evaluation.The first year of competitive grants under this award, the 2022 projects (24 total), nearedtheir completion date of September 30 during this reporting time period.The final reports are due within 30 days and the outcomes for the first year projects will be reported in the next annual report.We continue to monitor both the 2022 projects as they wrap up andthe 2023 projects (21 total) that were awarded last spring through quarterly progress reports and managing invoices for project expenditures and other project activity. The Center worked with other regional centers to develop the 2023 RFA which was released in September 2022, the second year of applications/grants under this prime award. The RFA included two separate program areas: the Standard ERME Education grants, which also included the Exploratory Projects; and the Producers Underserved by Crop Insurance grants. At the close of the RFA, the Center received 18 Standard Education grant applications, 1 Exploratory project application, and 7 Producers Underserved by Crop Insurance grant applications. The Advisory Council reviewed all applicationsand met in St. Charles, MO in January 2023 for a review and deliberation meeting following the Operational Guidelines. The Center budget set asidean equal amount of funds to be awarded under each program area. After full merit review, the Advisory Council recommended funding for 15 Education projects for $679,396 , 1 Exploratory projectfor $5,000, and 5 Underserved by Crop Insurance projects for $477,715 for funding with a total amount awarded of more than $1.16 million. The project period of performance for these grants is April 1, 2023 - September 30, 2024. All applicants received feedback on their proposalsto help build capacity by identifying strengths and weaknesses,and toencourage future applications.The Centercontinues our national collaboration on evaluation, development of evaluation resources, and improved measurement of project results, impacts, and effectiveness. Reporting and Communication. We have implemented a communications strategy that documents and communicates the impact of the program to risk management education stakeholders and the public. The 2023 RFA funding opportunities were widely broadcast through our listserv and social media sources. In support of the ERME program, the Center staff participated in monthly conference calls and national committee meetings and participated in the ERME program meeting in July of 2023. The Center has focused on capacity-building and one method is by attending conferences to reach new audiences and potential applicants. The Center co-sponsored theNational Ag Marketing Summit in October 2022 where the ERME Programsponsored a session track at the summit and an ERME exhibit was displayed and staffed by the Center throughout the meeting.The Center represented the ERME national program at the Marbleseed Conference (formerly MOSES Conference) in La Crosse, WI in February by displaying a booth and making contacts with participants and potential ERME program applicants. ERME displayed at the NACAA conference in Des Moines anda staff member from our center staffed the exhibit booth. The Center co-sponsored the AAEA Extension Section meeting in Washington, DC and sponsored theExtension Outlook Conference in Kansas City, both in August, reaching Extension and other ag professionals. Three additional success stories and one outstanding project award winner story were written during this reporting period from projects funded in previous years in Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. The stories demonstrate the risk management education results and impacts that the projects had on producers across the region. These stories are available on our website at https://ncerme.org/success-and-legacy-stories. Supporting Efforts. The Center continues to contributeadditional efforts in support of risk management education. During this reporting period, the Center managed and closed out the final projects under the 2018 Prime Award (2018-70027-28586). The Center was tasked with an additional competitive grant program focused onMeat & Poultry Processing.An RFA was released and the Centerawarded four projects for a total of $513,800. These projects are ongoing and will be managed through May 30, 2025 under award number 2022-70419-38561. Additionally, the Center is a collaboratingpartner in the Agricultural Financial, Tax and Asset Protection (AgFTAP) education program to enhance farmer and rancher ability to understand and navigate farm business taxand asset protection decisions for their operations udner federal award number FSA22CPT0012189, subaward GR017178. The Center supports educational programming through subwards to states across the North Central Region.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Lockert, C., B., Lubben, and S.Aikanathan Johnson. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center Helps Producers Manage Risks. Cornhusker Economics. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Weekly. May 10. 2023. Available at: https://agecon.unl.edu/north-central-extension-risk-management-education-center-helps-producers-manage-risks
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. 2023 "Producer Risk Management Education Needs Assessment". North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. White Paper. University of Nebraska-Lincoln (July).
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. Success in Minnesota "Rapid Response to Emerging Risk for Beginning Farmers". Success Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. February 2023
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. Success in Michigan "Increasing Access and Participation in Crop Insurance Programs among Underserved and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers through Risk Management Education, Culturally Appropriate Outreach and Technical Assistance". Success Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. February 2023
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. Success in Wisconsin "Farm Pulse Continuum- In-Person and Online Financial Management and Analysis Program". Success Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. February 2023
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. Outstanding Project Award Winner. Success in Nebraska "Farm Survival, Understanding the Role of Risk Exposure in Financial Decision Making". Success Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. February 2023
|
Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:The Center's program efforts reaches producers and educators across the broad range of geography, demographics, and agricultural systems across the North Central region.Special emphasis audiences including; beginning farmers or ranchers; legal immigrant farmers; socially disadvantaged farmers, including women; transitioning or retiring farmers; and veteran farmers and ranchers. The Center also reaches producers underserved by crop insurance through our targeted RFA to that group. We held a producer forum with a group representing young, beginning and value-added producers to discuss the current needs and issues that this group of producers are currently facing. The North Central region serves producers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. While our efforts target the entire region, the projects funded during the first year of this award will directly reach producers in 9of our 12 states (IA, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE,SD, WI). Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The Center offeredan online webinar directed towards potential applicants on October 5, 2021. The webinar had 22 participants and a link was made available for later viewing as well. This webinar outlined the RFA, the evaluative criteria, and tips on the application process. The Center also provided training to our Advisory Council on November 29, 2021 via webinar to orient them to our review and deliberation process, highlighting the conflict of interest policy and evaluative criteria to consider when reviewing applications. A project director orientation and training workshop for the project directors of newly funded projects was held on March 29, 2022. The workshop focused on providing project directors with the tools and information to administer their grants, evaluate their programs, and be able to provide good written outcomes. 16 of the 21 education projects had representation at this meeting, those who were not in attendance have all led previous projects. We did follow-up with them separately to make sure they have the most current information. The North Central Center also co-hosted the 2022 National Extension Risk Management Education Conference on March 29-31, 2022 in Omaha, NE. A pre-conference, over 35 concurrent sessions, and a poster session were held within a 2-day period with approximately 200participants representating educators and producers from across the country. The North Central Center had a large number of participants from our region, with manypresenting on Center-funded projects and regionally significant projects. This meaning also provided an opportunity for Center staff to listen to presentations on a variety of risk management education programs and to network with colleages and other professionals in the risk management arena. Two program-wide staff meetings were held during this reporting period. One was held in November 2021 after it was delayed last summer, and additionally we met in July 2022. This meeting included a professional development session on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as well as a focused time on furthering the evaluation efforts of the program in addition to continued program planning efforts and networking with colleagues. The Center delivered two crop insurance sessions at the TriennialNational Farm Business Management Conference. One session focused on understanding risk and making crop insurance decisions, and a second session featured crop insurance agents discussing products, particularly WFRP and Micro Farm and working with producers. Additionally, all training and education efforts that arise from our competitive grants program and subawards are catalogued on the Extension Risk Management Education website at extensionrme.org. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results of our efforts have been disseminated to the communities of interest in the following ways: 1) Publications, curricula, videos, and other outputs and tools produced as a result of projects funded through the Center are posted on the ERME website at www.extensionrme.org, as well as the Ag Risk & Farm Management website at agrisk.umn.edu. 2) Success stories that arise from completed projectshave been prepared to demonstrate the risk management education results and impacts for participating institutions, producers, and ERME stakeholders, including agency and Congressional contacts. These stories, along with Outstanding Project Award winners are available on our website under Funded Projects at ncerme.org. 3) Marketing efforts at conferences share results of projects by the Center and provide opportunities for participants to learn about the program and how to apply for funding to support future producerfocused risk management education. 4) Project directors often have presentations and/or poster displays during sessions at the Extension Risk Management Education Conference and other educational and professional meetings. These sessions allow for attendees to learn about methods, results, and outcomes of a variety of previously funded projects. 5) Project results, risk management issues, and identified risk management education needs are also shared on the Center's website at ncerme.org. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The Center will continue to work on implementing and meeting our goals and objectives over the next year. We will release the RFA for the second year of competitive grants under this prime award in September 2022. The RFA will be released widely and we will continue to attempt to reach both returning and new applicants. Training will be provided to potential applicants to encourage strong applications that focus on changes in producer practices (outcome-based, producer-focused projects) with good evaluation efforts in place. The Center will continue our national collaboration on evaluation, development of evaluation resources, and improved measurement of project results, impacts, and effectiveness. Communication efforts will continue with the publication of additional success stories, and a goal to develop and distribute a regional newsletter. The Center will continue to participate in and support relevant meetings and conferences to share the work of the Center and the funding opportunity the ERME program provides. Communication outreach will continue through an updated website, updated mailing list, and social media postings.The information we gather through the needs assessment process with meeting with ourInstitutional Listening Group, Special Emphasis/Underserved Producer Listening Group, Advsiory Council, and the North Central Farm Management Extension Committee will be used to produce reports to be published and made available on our website for potential applicants and stakeholders. This information will help inform the development of ourregional priority language for the 2024 RFA to be released in September 2023. The Center is also committed to supporting and building capacity to deliverrisk management education on various priority topics through Center-funded and directed efforts in collaboration with other ERME centers. The work includes programming and training targeted to value-added enterprises and operations, dairy risk management, and crop insurance tools and decisions, particularly Whole Farm Revenue Protection and Micro Farm policies as well as additinoal efforts focused on financial management needs of socially disadvantaged and underserved producer groups.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center (NCERMEC or the "Center") delivers risk management education to help agricultural producers manage risks and position their farm or ranch for future growth and success. The Center identifies and assesses producer risk management education needs and emerging issues through efforts with multiple producer and stakeholder groups, including special emphasis and underserved producer audiences. Building on needs assessment results, the Center implements an annual competitive grants program for both education and exploratory projects that deliver or lead to producer-focused, outcomes-based risk management education. The Center's overall efforts will address producer needs, increase the capacity of producers to adopt to improved risk management practices and decision-making, and help support financially sustainable, competitive, and prosperous agricultural production operations and systems. Since 2001, the Center has awarded 468 projects and over $15.4 million in funding to public, private, and non-profit entities to carry out producer-focused, outcomes-based risk management education programs. Projects completed to date have reported reaching more than 145,000 farm and ranch participants and generating more than 450,000 measurable producer actions to better manage risks on the farm or ranch. The Center continues to focus on Needs Assessment, Competitive Grants Program, and Communications/Reporting to implement a successful program. Needs Assessment. The Center met with various stakeholder groups to assess producer risk management issues and needs for agricultural risk management education. We met with our Institutional Listening Group in June. This group consists of members from farm organizations, universities, insurance agents, lending institutions, and agricultural producers. This group engaged in discussion to identify current issues and risk management priorities they see producers facing within the region. As a result, a needs assessment report wasproduced and will be published on the Center website to share our efforts with applicants and educate others. The Center is working to meet with individual members of our Special Emphasis/Underserved Producer Listening group to do producer meetings whenfeasible. This group consists of producers and professionals representing beginning farmer and ranchers, women, the Native American community, immigrant community, farmer-veteran community, the Hispanic community, the Black farmer community, and small farm/local foods/sustainable agriculture organizations among other target audiences. The Center recently held a producer forum targeting beginning/value-added producers with the goal to conduct more targeted forums in the future. This discussion will be included in the needs assessment report and made available on the website.The Center met with our Advisory Council in Kansas City in July. This group discussed and identified current needs of the region, reviewed the needs assessment report, and set priority language to ensure the 2023 RFA reflects current and emerging risk management education needs. The Center also met with the North Central Farm Management Extension Committee in August to discuss risk management issues and educational efforts, contributing to both the needs assessment and capacity building efforts prioritized by the Center. Competitive Grants Program. The Center worked with other regional Centers to develop the 2022 RFA which was released in September 2021, the first year of applications/grants under this prime award.The RFA included two separate program areas: the Standard ERME Education grants, which also includedthe Exploratory Projects; and the Producers Underserved by Crop Insurance grants. At the close of the RFA, the Center received 25 Standard Education grant applications, 3 Exploratory project applications, and 8Producers Underserved by Crop Insurance grant applications. The Advisory Council reviewed all applications and met online in January 2022 for a review and deliberationmeeting. After full review, the Advisory Council recommended 16 Education projects, 3 Exploratory projects, and 5 Underserved Producer projects for funding with a total amount awarded of more than $1.2 million.The project period of performance for these grants is April 1, 2022 - September 30, 2023. This is the first year of grants funded under this prime award. Our other on-going projects will be reported under our 2018 prime award. Reporting and Communication. We have implemented a communications strategy that documents and communicates the impact of the program to risk management education stakeholders and the public. The 2022 RFA funding opportunities were widely broadcast through our listserv and social media sources. Our listserv has migrated to a mailing list that allows us the opportunity to put forth a consistent marketing message with Center headers and targeted messaging.The Center has a website, a Facebook account and Twitter account with postings to share information and program promotion. In support of the ERME program, the Center staff participated in monthly conference calls and national committee meetings and participated in the ERME program meeting in November of 2021 (postponed from summer months) as well as the summer meeting in July 2022. The Center represented the ERME National program at the MOSES Conference in La Crosse, WI in February by displayinga booth and making contacts with participants and potential ERME program applicants. In an effort to improve our outreach with 1890 and 1994 land grant institutions in our region, we invited individuals to attend the ERME National Conference to learn more about the ERME program, the programs we fund, and our funding opportunity. The Center sponsored both the AAEA Extension Section meeting and Extension Outlook Conference in August, reaching Extension and other ag professionals. Three additional success stories and one outstanding project award winner story were written during this reporting period from projectsfunded in previous years in Kansas, Minnesota, and Ohio. The stories demonstrate the risk management education results and impacts that the projectshad on producers across the region. These stories are available on our website at https://ncerme.org/funded-projects/success-stories/.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Lockert, C., B., Lubben, and S.Aikanathan Johnson. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center Helps Producers Manage Risks. Cornhusker Economics. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Weekly. May 11, 2022. Available at https://agecon.unl.edu/north-central-extension-risk-management-education-center-help-producers-manage-risks
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. "Farm Financial Skills for Kansas Women in Agriculture". Success Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. February 2022.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. "Farm Transition and Estate Planning: Create Your Own Farm Legacy Retreats and Interactive Workshops". Success Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. February 2022.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. "Farm Bill Risk Management Workshops for Ohio Producers". Success Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. February 2022.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Aikanathan Johnson, S. "Farm Financial Skills For Kansas Women in Agriculture". Outstanding Project Award Winner - Producer Impact Story. North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center. March 2022.
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