PRINCESS ANNE, MD- (October 5, 2020)-Registration is now open for MyFaRM, a new University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension initiative to deliver risk management education free to area farmers.  Mastering Farm Risk Management, for which MyFaRM stands, also includes incentives for a select group of participants to receive free admission to future events hosted by UMES’ Small Farm Program.

 “MyFaRM is a series of classes covering each of five areas of risk for farms: production, marketing, finances, human resources and legal risk,” said Nicole Cook, the environmental and agricultural faculty legal specialist at UMES.  “There is an added emphasis in the MyFaRM program on how to use Federal Crop Insurance and private insurance options to sustain and support the growth of small farming operations, particularly those who grow, or plan to grow, specialty crops.”

The initiative kicks off at UMES Extension’s 2020 Small Farm Conference November 6 with an introductory class, said Berran Rogers, the coordinator of UMES’ Small Farm Program.  A core group of farmers who commit to attending at least eight out of 11 of the classes, including the kickoff class and the financial risk series, will come away with a five-year risk management plan for their farms. They will also qualify for free admission to the 2020 and 2021 Small Farm conferences, the November 5 virtual UMES Hemp Conference and the 2021 UMES Small Farm Marketing Bus Tour along with other workshops, tours and field demonstrations throughout the 2021 summer and fall.

MyFaRM instructors include experienced educators from the Agriculture Law Education Initiative, UMES Extension, University of Maryland Extension, Virginia State University, the Maryland Agricultural & Resource-Based Industry Corporation, MidAtlantic Farm Credit and other industry experts, Cook said.   Farmers with experience in diversifying their farms and developing niche markets for their products will also be presenters.

Educators at UMES Extension secured a nearly $100,000 Northeast Extension Risk Management Education Center grant (USDA, NIFA grant # 2018-70027-28588) for the 18-month project.

To register, visit https://myfarmkickoffclass.eventbrite.com.  Contact Cook at nlcook@umes.edu or by calling 410-651-6182 for more information.

Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, School of Agricultural & Natural Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 410-621-3850, gcstephens@umes.edu.