USDA ANNOUNCES $4 MILLION FOR RISK MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

Contact: Janet Osorio (202) 690-3040

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2002 - USDA's Risk Management Agency today announced that it will award $4 million to state departments of agriculture, universities, outreach organizations, and others to deliver risk management educational programs for agricultural professionals, farmers, and ranchers. The educational programs must cover two areas: risk management education for specific commodities and crop insurance education for farmers in 15 underserved states.

Applicants for the two programs have until June 3, 2002, to submit applications. Recipients will be announced in July.

All cooperative and partnership agreements executed to carry out these education programs will be administered by USDA's RMA on behalf of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. RMA will work closely with award recipients on major tasks of the programs, with assistance from RMA's ten regional offices.

The two programs are:

1. Targeted Commodity Partnerships for Risk Management Education. This program provides risk management education for producers of commodities that are not yet covered by federal crop insurance, specialty crops, and underserved commodities. The program is national in scope. Total funding is set at $2 million, with a project maximum of $100,000. See the RMA Application Kit for Targeted Commodities.
   
   
2. Crop Insurance Education and Information Programs for Farmers and Ranchers in Targeted States. This program will emphasize crop insurance training for agricultural producers in 15 states that have been traditionally underserved by federal crop insurance. The underserved states are Conn., Del., Mass., Maine, Md., N.H., N.J., Nev., N.Y., Penn., R.I., Utah, Vt., W.Va. and Wyo. Total funding is set at $2 million, with a maximum of one project for each of the 15 targeted states. See the RMA Application Kit for Targeted States.

For more information, please contact Lydia M. Astorga, phone 202-260-4728 or e-mail Lydia.Astorga@rma.usda.gov.