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Risk Management Education for Hawaii Beef Producers Underserved by Crop Insurance

Melelani Oshiro and Shannon Sand

Summary

Hawaii beef producers face adverse weather conditions caused by hurricanes, storms, volcanic eruptions, and drought. Until disaster strikes, ranchers throughout Hawaii are unaware of their risks or availability of insurance like Livestock Risk Protection. The University of Hawaii in collaboration with Utah State University organized and delivered risk management education to the underserved audience of Hawaii cattle producers. This project aims to mitigate beef producer risk in Hawaii by providing risk management training opportunities. The project team developed a consumer survey to collect purchasing behavior data of local beef consumers. The survey clarify consumer decisions when purchasing meat and their preferences for local grass-fed beef products. These data aligned to management practices influencing desirable meat quality traits and were disseminated to stakeholders through workshops and extension publications. Educational topics aimed at Hawaii cattle producers will include Understanding market price risk for feeder cattle through online decision support tools; Understanding Livestock Risk Protection Insurance; Evaluating production risk associated with grass-finishing cattle in Hawaii; Understanding consumer attitudes to Hawaii grass-finished beef; and an enhanced understanding of financial record keeping. Educational materials developed in the form of six web-based decision support tools designed to evaluate selling a calf in Hawaii versus retaining that calf on pastures on the mainland West coast or into a U.S. mainland feedlot as part of a previous ERME project grant. Educational materials were presented to cattle producers in Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai counties at livestock association meetings, extension workshops or field days.

Details

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