USDA’s Risk Management Agency is allocating $3 million available for farmer and rancher risk management training. The funding will support efforts to educate underserved, small-scale and organic producers on risk management and climate-smart practices.

The Risk Management’ Agency’s mission is to make federal crop insurance available and accessible to as many producers as possible. According to RMA administrator Marcia Bunger, this latest funding is integral to its 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,” she says. “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.”  

Over the past three years, RMA has dedicated $13 million to building partnerships with various organizations, including ag-related nonprofits, universities and county cooperative extension offices. Those efforts are intended as giving producers tools and skills to help them better manage long-terms risks and challenges.

This latest RMA funding will support a wide range of training activities. Among them are programs focusing on crop insurance options, record keeping, fiscal management, non-insurance risk management options, natural disaster preparedness and more.

Those interested in applying must submit documents required by the official notice of funding opportunity. Some applicants may be eligible for an RMA assistance service. That service includes help for things like developing draft statement of work performance and objectives as well as assistance completing the application itself. More information may be found online at the RMA website or through RMA regional offices.

RMA will be accepting applications through March 4.