CAS' Brett Crosby and Clif Parker provided risk management training and tools to dozens of North Carolina Christmas tree growers attending the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association's Winter Meeting held in Boone, NC, on February 29 and March 1, 2008.

The CAS presenters first introduced general risk and risk management principles, followed by a discussion of Christmas tree-specific risk considerations and risk management practices.  They next provided attendees with an introduction to the Christmas Tree Risk Analysis Tool (CTRAT). 

The CTRAT is a Microsoft Excel based decision support tool that models a Christmas tree operation and provides producers with key operating summaries as well as “what-if” type decision support capabilities.   Attending producers were also told about the ChristmasTreeRiskManagement.com website that provided risk management information and tools to America's Christmas tree producers.