AMES – Managing risk will continue to be a key part of farm profitability in 2020 and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is providing farmers with a wide range of risk management tools to help make the process more understandable.
The February edition of Ag Decision Maker, at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/ contains four risk management articles, along with accompanying videos that allow producers to watch and listen to each specialist describe each tool.
Topics include the “Basics of Crop Insurance,” featuring Gary Wright, farm management specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach; and “Small- to Medium-Sized Cattle Feeders,” featuring Tim Christensen, ISU Extension and Outreach field specialist.
“Comparing Farmland Returns to Stock Market Investments” is presented by Kelvin Leibold, farm management specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach; and “Farm Financial Performance Analysis” is led by Charles Brown, also a farm management specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.
The risk management articles and videos were made available through a grant and partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency.
A webinar series on risk management topics will be held Tuesdays in March, according to Madeline Schultz, program coordinator for Women in Agriculture at Iowa State University.
“The goal of the videos and the webinar,” said Schultz, “is to provide another way of reaching producers and explaining these complex and important topics. It’s another opportunity to share more about the different kinds of risk management available and the different risk management topics.”
Topics for the March webinar series will include trade with China — March 3, substitute decision making — March 10, comparing farmland returns to the stock market — March 17, and late and prevented planting lessons learned in 2019 — March 24.
The webinars will be held at noon, and participants should pre-register. Those interested in further information may visit the ISU Extension and Outreach website: www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/, email agdm@iastate.edu, or call 641-732-5574.