Federal Project Grant Summary

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents received a $2,121,750 project grant awarded September 30, 2025, through the Agriculture Risk Management Education Partnerships Competitive Grants Program (CFDA 10.520) administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The grant funds the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center (NCERMEC), based in Lincoln, Nebraska, over a three-year period through September 29, 2028. The Center delivers comprehensive risk management education to farmers, ranchers, and foresters across the North Central region, focusing on futures, options, crop insurance, cash forward contracting, debt reduction, and production diversification strategies. Key deliverables include conducting producer needs assessments and emerging issue identification, administering a competitive grants program for education and exploratory projects, implementing educator training and capacity-building initiatives, and maintaining communications infrastructure to promote program results and establish national linkages with other Extension Risk Management Education (ERME) program partners.

The Center's operations are overseen by an Advisory Council responsible for managing the competitive grants program and ensuring alignment with ERME operational guidelines. Sub-awardees include Purdue University, Iowa State University, and Kansas State University, which serve as collaborative partners in delivering regional educational initiatives and capacity-building programming. The Center's overarching objectives address producer risk management education needs, increase producer capacity to adopt improved risk management practices and decision-making, and support financially sustainable and competitive agricultural operations throughout the North Central region.