KOSEN 한인과학기술자네트워크

USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) Outreach Efforts Primary Sponsor: Department of Agriculture Deadline: 9/30/2001 The USDA's Risk Management Agency's (RMA) educational mission has been strengthened significantly as a result of the passage of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (the 2000 Act). In the 2000 Act, Congress directs RMA to implement many initiatives intended to increase the effectiveness of risk management tools. One of these directives is to step up the agency's educational and outreach efforts in certain areas of the country -- areas which have historically benefitted less from crop insurance than have many of the major agricultural producing areas. RMA is to use the authority and funds of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to: "...establish a program under which crop insurance education and information is provided to producers in States in which (as determined by the Secretary) -- (a) there is traditionally, and continues to be, a low level of Federal crop insurance participation and availability; and (b) producers are under-served by the Federal crop insurance program." Shortly following the passage of the 2000 Act, the Secretary of Agriculture determined that the following States met these criteria: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. For fiscal year 2001, RMA plans to contract or make agreements with, in various combinations, public and private organizations and grower organizations, most of which are located in the under-served states listed above, to provide direct producer training through the sponsorship of local educational activities; training for educational partners to reach producers through the influence of professionals who have educational opportunities with producers; and to invest in supportive activities such as material development and promotion. RMA will be forming partnerships with public and private organizations and grower organizations who have the talent, skills, expertise and resources necessary to reach producers at the local level in the 15 under-served States listed above. RMA is seeking to partner with entities who have the capability to perform educational activities in three categories 1) supportive activities, 2) training education partners, and 3) training producers. Supportive Activities include: A) Development of Instructional Materials such as AGR case studies, about 5 per state; fact sheets -- by crop by state; "Basics of Risk Management" brochure for Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and West; detailed bulletins to supplement "Basics of Risk Management" brochure for producers (risk management by commodity) and influences (risk management by product); self study guide for Risk Management, and development of Ag-Ed curriculum to be used by the Ag-Ed Community, B) Promotion of Risk Management Education such as development of general media promotion for risk management; development of "risk management" radio spots/programs to be used by media outlets; development of promotional packages to promote various risk management products and activities; and development of exhibit booth panels to reflect under-served regions, C) development of Information Technology Aids such as conversion of instruction to Internet based distance learning courses; development of computerized decision aids based upon the need; conversion of instruction to CD's for self study use; and feasibility/development of Automated Risk Management booths based upon the need, and D)Supportive Research such as research/analysis to determine educational needs for targeted states; research/analysis and establishment of educational pilot programs such as Risk Management Clubs, intensive farm consulting, and Land-Grant Graduate student educators; and research/analysis to establish RME program evaluation framework. Training Education Partner activities include facilitating and/or assisting with 3 regional conferences to be held in the Northeast/Western regions; sponsoring/facilitating specialized workshops for educating partners; and sponsoring/facilitating trainer development seminars for those organizations interested in implementing pilot educational programs relative to mission of the RMA's Risk Management Education program. Training Producer activities include sponsoring/facilitating local educational activities, as identified by education partners; developing Ag-Ed risk management partnerships to foster increased emphasis on risk in the producer-oriented curriculum and provide producer training; and research/analysis and establishment of educational pilot programs such as Risk Management Clubs, intensive one-on-one consulting, and use of Land-Grant graduate student educators. This announcement is for the entire fiscal year beginning October 1, 2000, and ending September 30, 2001, and covers a projected $5 million worth of work. Those interested in partnering with the RMA or providing comments, suggestions, and/or ideas, may do so electronically to RMA/USDA, Michelle Fuller, Risk Management Education Division at michelle_fuller@wdc.usda.gov