Completed Project Report


Risk Management in the Time of COVID-19: Beginning and Latino Small Farm Support in California

  • Award Amount: $70,000
  • Regional Center: Western Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2021 Underserved Projects

Extension RME Regional Centers
Extension Risk Management Education Region Map

Project Overview

This project built on lessons learned over 20 years of working with California farmers, and previous RMA RME awards. California FarmLink  assisted over 130 farmers including specialty crop growers from socially disadvantaged groups, and beginning farmers. We delivered existing curricula, created and delivered new curricula, and provided technical assistance to meet specific financial and legal risk management concerns, including managing lease agreements, contracts, and capital. 

We trained at least 130 beginning, organic, and socially disadvantaged small farmers across California on strategies to mitigate financial and legal risk, and provided an estimated 250 hours of technical assistance to at least 83 farmers to implement risk management strategies including loan readiness to accessing appropriate working capital. Close to 100% of participants demonstrated improvements to implementing financial planning and record-keeping, and developing skills to evaluate crop insurance.  We accomplished this by delivering two 10-week business skills programs and 3 convenings (in English and Spanish) on topics including legal structure of a farm or ranch business, labor, bookkeeping, accounting, cash flow, credit, and environmental regulation of agriculture. We also deployed a set of tools and training to assist farmers with analyzing crop insurance, including tax preparation, a key element of applying to crop insurance.

Number of Participants: 130

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

There are no promotional materials available for this project.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

There are no educational materials available for this project.

REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

There are no reports or evaluations available for this project.

DELIVERY AREA

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INDIVIDUAL STORIES / EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS / QUOTES