Project Overview
The goal of "Annie Goes Online: Risk Management on Your Kitchen Table" was to provide production and business management skills specifically geared to our urban farmers as they face post-pandemic challenges. We used the Canvas learning platform to provide online programming that 22 female farmers and their families could access from home. Canvas allowed for six weekly online workshops with pre/post quizzes and team reviewed risk management planning assignments. During the pandemic lockdown, most New Jersey farmers increased their customer base and sales because agriculture provided an essential service, and consumers were able to use contactless pickup. Since New Jersey opened up, a question farmers had was, “How can we turn the new customers we gained during the pandemic into permanent customers?” Our program addressed this marketing risk and pandemic supply chain challenges as well as opportunities for expansion into agritourism ventures. We addressed managing rising labor shortages and costs. Food safety compliance strategies were presented. Other production risks we covered included climate risks/adaptations; building soil health to give crops better resilience to drought; and best management practices for protecting animal agriculture from climate extremes. Finally, presented ways to reduce financial and legal risks by highlighting insurance options for farmers. Pre-post quiz scores showed an increase in knowledge about specific risk management strategies and in a retrospective survey, participants rated themselves as increasing their knowledge in each of the five areas of risk management. Participants completed optional assignments that can be incorporated into a farm business plan. The course is available for use by Extension Professionals and producers increased in learning risk management strategies asynchronously.
Number of Participants: 22
PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
There are no promotional materials available for this project.
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
There are no educational materials available for this project.
REPORTS & EVALUATIONS
There are no reports or evaluations available for this project.