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Release No. 0145.10
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Contact:
Shirley Pugh
(202) 690-0437
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USDA Announces Availability of Funds for Risk Management Partnership and Cooperative Agreements
WASHINGTON, March 23, 2010 -- USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced the availability of nearly $8.6 million for partnership agreement grants. These agreements are designed to provide new ways for producers to manage risks to their businesses and for education opportunities for limited-resource and underserved farmers and ranchers. All awards will be made on a competitive basis for projects of up to one year. Recipients must demonstrate non-financial benefits from a partnership agreement and must agree to substantial RMA involvement in the project.
"USDA is committed to providing farmers and ranchers the assistance they need to more effectively manage their businesses and these training opportunities will give important insight on risk management tools for producers," said RMA Administrator Bill Murphy. "These projects often create opportunities for underserved, small, and limited-resource producers to become better risk managers."
For these small farmers in particular, risk management often means understanding direct marketing and for this they need legal, financial, and food safety tools and information appropriate for the scale of their operation and the markets that they serve. More information about these partnership opportunities and how to apply is available at www.rma.usda.gov/aboutrma/agreements/
There is approximately $2.5 million available for community outreach. These grants are available to fund partnership agreements in outreach projects that will provide information and training for limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and other traditionally under-served farmers and ranchers who produce Priority Commodities. Applications for community outreach grants are due at or before 5 p.m. EDT on April 15, 2010.
There is approximately $5 million available for crop insurance education in targeted states. These grants are available to fund cooperative agreements with partners to provide crop insurance education and information programs to producers in 16 targeted states: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Applications for crop insurance education in targeted states grants are due at or before 5 p.m. EDT on April 27, 2010.
There is approximately $1.1 million available for the commodity partnership small sessions program. These grants are available to fund cooperative agreements with partners to provide crop insurance education and risk management information to producers in local training sessions throughout the nation. Applications for the commodity partnership small sessions program are due at or before 5 p.m. EDT on April 27, 2010.
All applications must be received on or before the deadline listed for the grant type or the technical review panel will not evaluate them. Only electronic applications submitted through www.grants.gov will be accepted.
RMA administers the Federal crop insurance program. For more information about RMA or its programs, please visit our Web site www.rma.usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
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