Completed Project Report


Reducing Climate Change Risks for Farmers and Ranchers in the Sierra Nevada Foothills

  • Award Amount: $49,990
  • Regional Center: Western Extension Risk Management Education Center
  • Grant Program: 2020 Education Projects
  • Project Director: Cindy Fake
  • Email: cefake@ucanr.edu
  • Organization: University of California Cooperative Extension

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Project Overview

Climate change has significantly increased risks for producers in the California foothills. The goal of this project was to reduce risk and improve farm/ranch economic viability. University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) provided training, planning tools, and assistance to small-scale producers to plan for and reduce production, human, and financial risks related to climate change.
We originally planned to deliver 121 hours of training to 433 producers, through beginning farming, farm business, practical livestock and crop production workshops; crop/livestock insurance, risk management, and emergency planning workshops; and networking events. The pandemic changed program delivery, but we were able to reach many more producers than planned. 266 producers participated in in-person training and networking events, and 2,954 participated in webinars. While numbers are higher and the cost per person much lower, we found that virtual training is less effective at building skills and knowledge for many producers.
In the project, producers learned to assess and plan for production risks associated with climate change, financial risks resulting from unpredictable production, and human risks related to safety and labor availability. This improved risk management and decision-making has already contributed to the stability of agricultural operations and improved profitability of local agriculture.

Number of Participants: 2584

Outcomes

Project Steps

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

There are no promotional materials available for this project.

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS

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DELIVERY AREA

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INDIVIDUAL STORIES / EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS / QUOTES