Risk Management Education
Program
The Risk Management Education Program was
established under Section 133 of the Agricultural
Risk Protection Act of 2000. The act annually
provides $5 million to USDA's Risk Management
Agency (RMA) and $5 million to NIFA. NIFA
develops and provides risk management education
materials to producers covering the full
gamut of risk management strategies in all
50 states and territories.
Regional Risk Management Education Centers
The program operates through the four regional
Risk Management Education Centers with support
from the Digital Risk Management Center at
the University of Minnesota. The program's
objective is to educate agricultural producers
on the full range of risk management strategies
and tactics, including futures, options,
agricultural trade options, crop insurance,
cash forward contracting, debt reduction,
production diversification, farm resources
risk reduction, and other risk management
strategies. These centers provide funds on
a competitive basis to those who have the
expertise to develop and deliver risk mitigation
educational materials to producers.
Advisory Committees
An advisory committee governs each Risk
Management Education Center. Members are
experts qualified by training and/or experience
in various aspects of risk management. The
advisory committees provide guidance on priorities
and areas of emphasis in each center's Request
for Applications (RFAs). The committee members
also serve as reviewers for proposals received
and provide award and funding recommendations
to the respective center director s. All
grants are made on a competitive basis based
on guidelines and areas of emphasis as contained
in each of the respective RFAs.
Eligibility
Any private or public entity that can show
it can prepare highly professional educational
programs for producers on risk management
is eligible to apply. They include, but are
not limited to, the following: farm organizations,
land-grant universities, Cooperative Extension
Services, lenders, consultants, other colleges
and universities, risk management service
providers, other private and public organizations
that are qualified to develop and deliver
risk management education programs.
Digital Center for Risk Management
Education programs of the Digital Center
for Risk Management at the University of
Minnesota provide a number of supporting
services to the regional Risk Management
Education Centers. The four regional centers
receive proposals and applications online,
and the progress of individual grantees is
also available. The Center's National Agricultural
Risk Library archives final reports, which
can be queried to provide data and reports
to interested constituents, USDA, and Congress.
Points of Contact
Northeast Center for Risk Management Education
Laurie Wolinski, Director
University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Phone 302-831-2538
North Central Risk Management Education Center (New URL)
Bradley Lubben, Director
University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE
Phone 402-472-2235
Southern Region Risk Management Education Center
Ron Rainey, Co-Director
H.L. Goodwin, Co-Director
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Phone: 501-671-2175
Western Central for Risk Management Education
Shannon Neibergs, Director
Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Phone 509-335-6360
Digital Center for Risk Management Education
Robert Craven, Director
University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN
Phone toll-free 800-234-1111
NIFA
Pat Hipple, National Program Leader
Washington, DC
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