How Do I Manage Risk?
Emerging farmers have a constant need to identify, assess, and proactively manage risk to protect yourself and your farm. Risks may include severe weather, pricing and market changes, equipment failure, and even your mental and physical health. Below are some resources gathered to help you plan for risks you may encounter.
What types of insurance should I get?
How can I keep myself, my farm, workers, and produce safe?
How can I manage risk by managing my business?
What should I do if there has been a disaster?
What is risk management?
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This article is about risk management lessons learned during the pandemic. agriculture.com/farm-management/business-planning/4-ways-farmers-can-manage-risk-in-a-crisis |
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All Hazards: Resources to help rural communities prepare for disasters and other hazards |
This website houses a database of factsheets, checklists, and other resources to help rural communities prepare for and recover from a number of natural, biological and man-made threats. |
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Start your journey into risk management with an overview of the key risks in agriculture and the fundamental principles for managing them. |
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Preparación para todo tipo de peligros para las comunidades rurales |
Una guía para ayudar a las comunidades agrícolas rurales a prepararse contra las amenazas a sus familias, granjas, animales y negocios |
What types of insurance should I get?
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This article highlights the many forms of risk management, including insurance, production diversification, and business structure. |
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This page offers introductory education of crop insurance, and guidance to the appropriate resources within USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) and Farm Service Agency (FSA). |
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A list of dates that producers should become familiar with to maintain eligibility and ensure full crop insurance coverage. organicfarmersassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/dates_to_remember.pdf |
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Organic Farmers Association with Oregon Tilth and the USDA Risk Management Agency |
A video about Crop Insurance for Specialty Crop Producers. |
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Resources to learn from others’ experiences and ideas, as well as information regarding Risk Management Agency programs and how they might be part of your farm’s strategy for resilience in the face of extreme weather events. |
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Farm business revenue insurance information from MSU Extension. |
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This publication reviews the basics of crop insurance and how its use can benefit your farm. canr.msu.edu/resources/bulletin-e-3415-introduction-to-crop-insurance-for-field-crops |
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This article helps sustainable and organic producers understand and manage risks on diversified farms. |
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This publication reviews the basics of crop insurance and how its use can benefit your fruit farm. canr.msu.edu/resources/bulletin-e-3426-insurance-options-for-fruit-growers |
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This fact sheet provides an overview of federal crop insurance. cfra.org/sites/default/files/publications/crop-insurance-101.pdf |
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Emerging Farmers Learning Series — Legal: Intro to Farm Business Law and Liability Insurance |
Carolyn Johnson of LightStone Law leads this webinar offering an introduction to farm business law and liability insurance. canr.msu.edu/resources/emerging-farmers-learning-series-legal |
Find more resources about USDA Programs here.
How can I keep myself, my farm, workers, and produce safe?
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This video discusses what needs to be covered in an annual farm worker training, as outlined by the FSMA Produce Safety Rule. |
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This guide helps farmers create an emergency action plan for your farm, which could save lives if the unexpected happens. extension.umn.edu/farm-safety/creating-farm-emergency-action-plans |
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Michigan Department of Agriculture and Michigan State University Extension |
This bulletin contains information on preparing your emergency farm plan. It also contains a template for you to complete your own emergency plan. |
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This session will guide you through developing an emergency preparedness plan tailored to your agricultural operation, helping you minimize the impact of unexpected events. |
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Farm Aid’s goal is to connect you with helpful services, resources and opportunities specific to your individual needs. This resource is available in English and Spanish. |
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This hub includes national and state resources to help you find the Farmer Well-Being support farmers need to cope with stress and isolation. |
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This collection of resources helps farmers protect animal health, which is important for all farms, regardless of size. |
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This webinar discusses risk management strategies that can help build resilience into your season and your livelihood. |
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This video series reviews the different types of produce safety certifications available to farmers. canr.msu.edu/resources/farm-to-institution-food-safety-basics |
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Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety resources and technicians are a free, voluntary, confidential and non-regulatory resource for fresh produce farmers. |
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Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) |
This program helps farms of all sizes and all commodities voluntarily prevent or minimize agricultural pollution risks. |
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Emerging Farmers Learning Series — HR: Hiring and Keeping Employees |
Carolina Puerta-Estevez of Human Resources - Bilingual International Services leads this presentation on HR: Hiring and Keeping Employees. www.canr.msu.edu/resources/emerging-farmers-learning-series-hr |
How can I manage risk by managing my business?
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This curated list of farm business management tools will help you make the best decisions for your farm. |
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This webinar explores key financial risks in agriculture and provides strategies to manage market volatility, credit risks, and financial planning. |
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This webinar about risk management is about empowering your decision making and making your farm more profitable. |
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These tutorials show you how to navigate tools to keep and update farm records for the USDA. www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Oy58bSZgQFQe1pWsiPp_BjfmDY-72g5 |
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Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota |
This free tool for individual use was developed to help businesses develop a business plan. |
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This video focusing on collecting and organizing your farm records is part of a series about farm business financial management models. farms.extension.wisc.edu/articles/collecting-and-organizing-records/ |
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The DEMaND Series helps the next generation of farm operators develop into managers and decision-makers by providing resources on financial and business management strategies. |
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FarmRaise |
This collection of tools for record keeping assists farmers in record-keeping, an aspect of good farm management and may also be a requirement for many FSA programs. |
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This course is designed to help producers identify the uncertainties that exist within farm businesses and how to achieve financial success through planning for and reacting to that uncertainty. www.canr.msu.edu/courses/financial-success-in-uncertain-times |
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Taking Care of Business: Understanding the Business, Tax, and Regulatory Implications of Your Farm |
This six-week course helps early stage farmers assess and manage a variety of risks that they will face such as insurance coverage, business structures and tax information. |
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This fact sheet outlines how to keep records and what information ought to be kept, as well as providing helpful resources for further support. smallfarms.cornell.edu/guide/guide-to-farming/record-keeping/ |
Find more business planning tools here.
What should I do if there has been a disaster?
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Learn about USDA disaster assistance programs that might be right for you by completing five simple steps. farmers.gov/protection-recovery/disaster-tool?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery |
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FarmRaise Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) Overview |
Learn about FSA's Non-Insured Assistance Program program, including eligibility requirements, how to apply, and additional resources. |
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