This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy.
December 8th is the new kickoff date for the new MyFaRM initiative. “MyFaRM” stands for Mastering Farm Risk Management. The MyFaRM program is free, and offers a series of classes covering all aspects of farm risk management, plus so much more!
The MyFaRM program is an incredible opportunity for farmers on the Lower Eastern Shore to get comprehensive information and assistance in developing risk management plans that cover the unique needs of their individual farms, and help them better manage the risks that come with farming in today’s world.
Farmers who commit to being in the MyFaRM “core farmer group” will finish the course with a five-year risk management plan that they developed for their individual farms, plus they’ll be able to take advantage of all of the following special benefits:
Greenhouse & Transplant Production Workshop by Jay Martin – Mar. 31, 2021, from 9AM-12PM at Provident Farm in Bivalve, MD
Scholarships to attend demonstration courses offered by the UMES Extension Small Farm Program throughout the summer and fall of 2021
Scholarships to attend UMES’ 18th Annual Small Farm Conference in November 2021
Farmers who apply to be in the core farmer group commit to attending a minimum of 8 of the entire series of 10 in-person classes, including all three of the Financial Risk classes.
The classes are also open for farmers who aren’t enrolled in the "core farmer group" but who would like to attend classes in the series of risk classes most pertinent to their farming operation. For example, farmers who would like to attend the three classes on Financial Risk can register for those classes and should plan to attend all three Financial Risk classes.
There is no limit to the number of risk areas that farmers can sign up for. For example, a farmer could choose to attend all three Financial Risk classes and both of the Marketing Risk classes. See the class schedule below.
MyFaRM instructors include experienced educators from ALEI, UMES Extension, the University of Maryland Extension, Virginia State University, the Maryland Agricultural & Resource-Based Industry Corporation (MARBIDCO), MidAtlantic Farm Credit and other industry experts. Farmers with experience in diversifying their farms and developing niche markets for their products will also be presenters.
The classes cover financial risk, legal risk, production risk, marketing risk and the risks associated with having farm workers.
There will be a 30-minute break in the middle of each class with refreshments provided, and all classes and events will require everyone to adhere to public health requirements.
For more information about the MyFaRM program and to register for classes, contact Nicole Cook at nlcook@umes.edu or by calling 410-651-6182.
* This last class of the marketing risk series will coincide with the 2021 Small Farm Marketing Bus Tour. Farmers enrolled in the “core group” and those enrolled in the Marketing Risk classes will receive a scholarship to attend the bus tour.
The MyFaRM (Mastering Farm Risk Management) project is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture under award number 2018-70027-28588.