1. Home
2. Conferences
3. 2025 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS SYSTEM DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE, SOUTHERN RISK MANAGEMENT EDUCATION CENTER CROP INSURANCE NAVIGATOR PILOT PROJECT

SeRena Hill

Summary

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has lead the development of a pilot project to strengthen outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers through the development of a cohort of risk management program navigators--program specialists trained by project collaborators to strategically and intentionally engage and serve producers , producer influencers, land grant facilities, agricultural colleges and universities, community based organizations and nonprofit government organizations across the crop insurance sector.

This two-year pilot project features collaboration with the USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) and the Southern Risk Management Education Center (SRMEC), which is housed at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The cohorts are headquartered and managed by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. The navigator project has implemented and executed a stakeholder engagement and program outreach that was developed jointly under SRMEC and RMA leadership. The engagement and outreach plan has strategically strengthened and built new relationships across the crop insurance sector with public and private and community-based entities.
The overarching objective of this project is to enhance the understanding and use of federal crop insurance by producers historically underserved by the crop insurance sector. By not participating in these federal programs, underserved producers face increased vulnerability to risks such as extreme weather events, fluctuating market prices, and other challenges that threaten the financial viability of their operations. These gaps in coverage can exacerbate inequalities in agriculture and hinder the sustainability of diverse farming systems that contribute to food security.
Addressing these issues requires ensuring that underserved producers have access to the information and resources needed to participate fully in these programs. The Navigator Project is one effort to provide targeted outreach, education, and policy reform to help bridge these gaps and promote equity in agricultural risk management. This effort has served the southeastern United States in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Florida Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. This project includes strategic engagement with minority serving institutions and stakeholder groups targeting historically underserved producers.

Details

---