Completed Project Report


Improving Risk Management Skills and Crop Insurance Literacy among Underserved Specialty Crop Producers in the Sierra Foothills

  • Award Amount: $70,000
  • Regional Center: Western Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2021 Underserved Projects
  • Project Director: Cindy Fake
  • Email: cefake@ucanr.edu
  • Organization: University of California Cooperative Extension

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Project Overview

Small-scale specialty crop producers in the Sierra Nevada foothills in California face an increasing array of risks. These include production risks due to climate change; and financial and marketing risks related to farm scale and COVID-19. These producers are underserved by crop insurance because of the lack of cost-effective options for small and diverse farms, limited coverage for most specialty crops, and the dearth of crop insurance providers in the area.

University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Placer/Nevada Counties provided risk management education through individual consultations and 30 educational and networking events. These included webinars, workshops, and peer-to-peer networking opportunities. Topics addressed include risk management planning for specialty crop production, especially given the serious impacts of weather due to climate change. Training also included production and financial recordkeeping; crop and market planning; types of crop insurance policies and options; and relationship-building within the agricultural community and those who serve it.

The project assisted 496 beginning and experienced farmers to identify and plan for impacts of production, financial, and marketing risks. As a result of the training, producers understand more about crop insurance options, improved decision-making skills, and developed and implemented strategies for managing key risks for their farm operation.

Number of Participants: 496

Outcomes

Project Steps

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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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