Center Overview

The Southern Region Risk Management Education Center (SRRMEC) was established by Texas Cooperative Extension and is located in Stephenville, Texas. The Center is funded by a grant through USDA/CSREES. The SRRMEC goal is to maximize the success of and recognition for the risk management education activities of grant recipients.

Public and private sector grant recipients assist agricultural producers and their families be successful by using improved risk management skills developed by attending the educational programs funded by the Center.

The Center is coordinating risk management education programs throughout the southern region primarily through a regional competitive grants program serving the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The Center will be the focus point for team building efforts, communication networks, and stakeholder participation in the South. The Center has an Advisory Council http://srrme.tamu.edu/council.html that represents stakeholders, to set broad policy goals and priorities, to evaluate and select proposals that deliver risk management knowledge/programs to producers based on expected outcomes.

Direct Grants

To promote risk management education programs during the initial fall and winter, the Center established a limited one-time direct grants program. Approximately $400,000 ($15,000 each) was distributed to the twenty-six 1862 and 1890 land grant institutions and Tuskegee University located in the thirteen Southern states the fall 2001. http://srrme.tamu.edu/srrmecurr.html

Competitive Grants

The Center then funded its first competitive grant program (approximately $400,000) to foster widespread participation by all 1890 and 1862 institutions, other educational institutions, farm organizations, commodity organizations, and private sector risk management providers. http://srrme.tamu.edu/cg02.html

Priorities

The Advisory Council has the responsibility for overseeing the setting of priorities, designing the Request for Proposals (RFP), selection of projects and distribution of competitive risk management education grants for the Southern region.

General guidelines for the Advisory Council are as follows.

Relevance to Southern Agriculture:
A high priority is placed on the use of stakeholder input to determine the risk management education needs of Southern producers as they exist at regional, state and local levels. Regionally based risk management education programs should address the special needs as determined by:

  • producer audiences
  • commodity mixes
  • climatic conditions
  • types of risks associated with production
  • marketing
  • financial
  • legal
  • human resource conditions
  • other factors that hold the greatest potential for assisting producers.

Focus on Producers:
Proposals should demonstrate an understanding of the agricultural risk management education needs of all producers. Projects are encouraged that give special consideration to educational needs of:

  • producers with clearly defined risk management issues
  • producers who have had limited exposure to risk management concepts, tools and strategies
  • small-scale and minority producers
  • women and other family members
  • limited resource producers
  • alternative crop producers

Multi-state and Multi-institution Projects:
Projects that involve several states and land grant institutions are encouraged.

Use of Risk Management Education Materials Appropriate for Regional Educational Needs:
Projects are encouraged to use, modify and adapt existing risk management education materials where feasible and to develop additional materials as needed. Innovative use of electronic media provides alternative means to supply effective risk management education strategies, information, and management decision aids. A high priority will be placed on projects whose risk management education materials are readily and easily adapted to other commodities, regions and producer groups.

Demonstrated Ability to Effectively Deliver Non-formal Risk Management Education Programs to End-Users:
Successful applicants will exhibit a strong track record of attracting end-users to educational offerings and evidence of effective communication and interaction with participants.

Strategic Alliances with Industry and User Groups:
Risk Management Education efforts need to expand upon the role that industry and end-user groups play in risk management adoption. More rapid adoption of improved risk management can be achieved by establishing strategic linkages with pivotal groups as they disseminate risk management information. Potential opportunities for collaboration and cooperation include coordinated educational meetings or tours, and common use of decision aids and educational materials. These joint efforts need to be committed to the non-biased promotion of risk management in the best interest of the end user. Extension coordinated meetings should encourage active participation of relevant public and private groups.

Training of Extension Educators and Private Sector Risk Management Providers:
Projects that identify the existing and emerging risk management education training need of Extension educators and private sector risk management providers and conduct regional training workshops on these topics are encouraged.

Specify Measurable Objectives and Evaluation Procedures:
Projects are expected to gather information on participants' assessment of the value of program materials and instruction, and suggestions for addition or deletion of topics and instructional materials. In addition to standard evaluation data, project proposals and are expected to specify how it will gather evidence of measurable outcomes, such as, actual or intended changes in risk management behavior.