United States Department of Agriculture Invests $3.3M to Expand Outreach on Crop Insurance to Underserved Producers; Marcia Bunger Discusses
WASHINGTON, DC - The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking out advancements for underserved producers, unveiling its latest play in the form of a $3.3 million investment. The organization has funneled this contribution into two new partnerships with the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) and the University of Arkansas’ Southern Risk Management Education Center that will train and equip the next generation of crop insurance agents, adjusters, and outreach educators about crop insurance options as it seeks to broaden participation in crop insurance.
“Crop insurance strengthens American agriculture, and we want to make sure all farmers, especially those traditionally left behind, are aware of the tools available to manage risk,” said USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator Marcia Bunger. “We have a lot of work to do to engage underserved producers in our risk management tools. These two partnerships will let us engage with communities that have historically lacked access to resources and education. Both partnerships aim to cultivate creativity and innovation as they work to empower, educate, and provide outreach to underserved producers.”
The IAC received a contribution of about $1.9 million, through which RMA and the IAC will strategically engage with minority-serving institutions and underserved stakeholder groups that will train, credential, and establish a pipeline of crop insurance agents and adjusters within underserved agricultural communities.
In addition, the Southern Risk Management Education Center at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture received about $1.4 million. This partnership will be optimized to strengthen outreach and technical assistance to underserved farmers and ranchers through the development of risk management program navigators.
Complementing this $3.3 million investment, RMA has invested $3.19 million since 2021 in partnerships involving 25 projects with dozens of awardees and sub-awardees to expand outreach and education on crop insurance through the Risk Management Education Partnership Program.
Click here to read more about the USDA’s most recent investment in crop insurance.
