In this project, the Center for Rural Affairs conducted educational outreach to farmers about crop insurance options for small grains. We worked primarily with Iowa and Nebraska producers who plant small grains, and those considering small grains. Overall, the project engaged a variety of producers, including conventional, certified organic, and food-grade small grains producers. Our content was informed by in-depth feedback we received from farmers in a roundtable setting, and staff from the USDA Risk Management Agency were involved in the development of materials to ensure they were accurate.
We produced two units of educational materials throughout this project, one as a report and the second as four fact sheets. We placed a total of 104 related announcements, articles, and columns in local newspapers, radio stations, and agricultural media outlets. We engaged 12 small grains producers in two roundtable discussions, and gave eight presentations via webinars and conferences, totaling 143 attendees. Finally, we provided one-on-one technical support resulting in ten producers purchasing coverage for their small grains. This project meaningfully involved 181 participants spanning more than 20 states.