CAS' John Mangus worked with Massachusetts FFA Association coordinator, Kim LaFleur, to coordinate and promote three risk management / crop insurance training sessions during the Massachusetts State FFA Convention in Sturbridge MA, March 16-17th, 2009. A total of 125 current and beginning producers attended the three sessions appropriately titled “Crop Insurance Education for Massachusetts Beginning Ag Producers”. Participants were FFA chapter members or  FFA chapter advisors who participate in agriculture through family farms and/or FFA applied projects; others have substantial interest in agriculture and are actively exploring careers in the agriculture field.

 The program content focused on risk and risk management principles and emphasized how crop insurance programs can be an important tool for managing agricultural production and price risk(s). To illustrate the challenges of managing risk and the role of Federal risk management programs, the attendees participated in an interactive Excel based learning simulation requiring the participant to make a series of business/management decisions.  The simulation illustrated concepts of risk and uncertainty, and demonstrated how risk management tools such as forward contracting, diversification, and crop insurance, can be used to improve the profitability and sustainability of a Massachusetts nursery operation. 

Attendees were also told about Federal Risk Management Programs available in Massachusetts including programs covering nursery crops, clams, cranberries, and corn. RMA’s AGR-Lite Program was also highlighted.   CAS also promoted the RMA / FFA Risk Management Essay Contest and the RMA website. Attendees were also provided RMA program fact sheets and the 2008 Massachusetts State Crop Insurance Profile.