The southern risk management education center (referred as srmec or center) at the university of arkansas division of agriculture leverages expertise from the center's faculty/staff and diverse…

The Southern Risk Management Education Center (SRMEC) at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture received a $2,121,750 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture Risk Management Education Partnerships Competitive Grants Program (CFDA 10.520), effective September 30, 2025, with completion by September 29, 2028. SRMEC will leverage its faculty expertise and advisory council to deliver comprehensive risk management education and outreach programs to farmers and ranchers across the Southern region, empowering agricultural producers to make informed decisions regarding production, marketing, financial, legal, and human resource risks.

The Center's primary deliverables include management and administration of the Extension Risk Management Education (ERME) competitive grants program, hosting an annual national risk management conference, and providing capacity-building activities focused on federal crop insurance education and utilization. Additionally, SRMEC will continue collaborative partnerships with the Southern Extension Economics Committee and maintain strategic relationships with key agricultural stakeholders, including public and private organizations, farm entities, and socially disadvantaged and historically underserved clientele. These integrated efforts aim to improve producers' risk management capabilities and increase overall farm profitability through evidence-based educational programming and resource development.

The southern risk management education center (referred as srmec or center) at the university of arkansas division of agriculture leverages expertise from the center's faculty/staff and diverse advisory council to help farmers and ranchers make informed risk management decisions. Srmec intentionally builds relationships across the region with public and private agricultural stakeholders to enhance our program impacts. The center's mission is to empower the strengths and skills of southern region producers involved in the management of agricultural production, marketing, financial, legal, and human resource risks. Srmec strives to improve producers' abilities to manage risks and increase farm profitability by delivering programs designed to change risk management knowledge and behavior. Our main goal is to deliver resources through capacity building activities and management of the competitive grants program that enable farmers and ranchers to make informed decisions and to empower producers to manage the diverse risks facing their operations including understanding and use of federal crop insurance. Srmec's primary purpose is to continue the successful management of the extension risk management education (ERME) competitive grants program and outreach activities which include hosting a national conference annually. The center continues collaboration with the southern extension economics committee – collaboration of region's land-grant extension economist – to develop risk management resources and outreach. A primary focus of srmec has been and will continue to be establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships with key agricultural stakeholders across the region. These strategic and intentinal efforts include public and private organizations serving agriclture, farm and farm organizations, and connections with socially disadvantaged and historically underserved (SDFR) entities/clientele. Lastly, srmec plans to continue collaborating with ERME partners – other three regional centers and the digital center – to continue to expand and improve the use and understanding of the ERME programs.