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Risk Management issues for Latino farmers in Missouri

Jose Garcia

Summary

Missouri has experienced an 87% increase in Latino producers from 266 in 1992 to 444 in 1997; and by 2002 the number was close to 1,000. Latino producers are often isolated and unaware of state and federal services and programs. This presentation will attempt to describe the efforts of the Community Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture Program of the University of Missouri to increase the number of Latino producers using Risk Management tools and products. The project, funded by the North Central Risk Management Education Center, includes conducting workshops and establishing a Latino producer network. Three workshops with topics from production risks, to marketing risks, to financial and legal risks, and to computers on the farm to manage risks have been conducted and at least one but eventually two more workshops are being planned. Also, issues related to establishing a Latino farmers network have been partially discussed. At the presentation, we will talk about the challenges that emerged in planning and conducting the workshops and the strategies used to overcome them. We also will discuss with the conference participants ideas and approaches to work with non-traditional audiences on risk management education. We targeted 75 Latino producers, who would eventually begin using risk management tools and the network. But also, we are using the workshop experience to address the issue of a better understanding of Latino farmers and their needs by our partners in the Extension system.

Details

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