Pilot Projects

RMA pilot programs are special initiatives to help deliver outreach and education for areas of high need. Below you will find a description of each pilot program and learn how to engage with our partners who are delivering these programs.

Farming is a risky business. As such, training youth to understand risk management strategies before they take over the farm can support the future of America’s farms. The USDA Risk Management Agency has funded a 2-year pilot project called “Planting with Confidence” to support this goal.

Through this project, an online platform has been developed to provide simulations to help youth learn about risk in farming. The coursework available on the platform is freely available to Ag-Ed instructors, 4-H chapters, and other educators to introduce beginning producers to an array of risk management and crop insurance topics.

Learn more about the Planting Confidence project by visiting our partner's webpage.

The USDA Risk Management Agency and the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) seek to engage with underserved agricultural communities through recruiting, training, and establishing crop insurance agents and loss adjusters. Strategic engagement with minority-serving institutions and underserved stakeholder groups will establish a pipeline of crop insurance agents and adjusters. As a result, our goal is to increase the representation of insurance agents and loss adjusters providing service to underserved communities.

Building Resiliency is a collaborative pilot program. IAC partnering with Rural Coalition, Annie’s Project, and Alcorn State University enhances delivery efforts and ensures a lasting effect across the crop insurance sector to deliver available risk management options.

Learn more about the Building Resiliency project by visiting our partner’s website.

Learn more by reading a blog about the project.

The Crop Insurance Navigator program works to enhance the understanding and to expand the use of federal crop insurance by producers historically underserved by the crop insurance sector by:

• Leveraging the land-grant system agricultural economist to create relationships and outreach on crop insurance products and services.
• Building awareness and/or understanding of the network of Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) while connecting the AIPs with targeted producer groups and academic institutions.
• Connecting with outreach educators—including 1862 farm management committees, 1890 Small Farm Programs (2501 programs), and USDA Liaisons—to enhance the level of crop insurance outreach to historically underserved farmers and ranchers.
• Educating and promoting the programs, products, and services of crop insurance stakeholders—RMA, National Crop Insurance Services, and AIPs.
• Collecting customer service data and stakeholder feedback while also analyzing crop insurance metrics to improve sector performance measures.

Learn more about the Navigators project by visiting our partner’s website.

The RMA Ambassador Program is a strategic initiative designed to strengthen RMA's outreach, engagement, and impact within the agricultural community in the southeast. This program seeks to leverage the expertise, clout, and passion of the Ambassador to enhance RMA's presence and mission.

Dr. Cindy Ayers-Elliott was chosen as the SE Ambassador based on her experience as an urban farmer in Jackson Mississippi who is passionate about assisting other producers, especially historically underserved. For this pilot, Dr. Cindy actively travels the American southeast, attending events and meeting with producers to help them understand crop insurance and risk management strategies.