Risk Management Technical Assistance

1. Reaching Native, Veteran and Other Underserved Producers 

Underserved producers have had limited access to crop insurance. This project aims to provide crop insurance education and related technical assistance and training resources to Native, veteran and other underserved producers in the form of virtual webinars and in-person gatherings. The educational webinars modified for each region to include crops and livestock predominantly grown in the region. A national reach will ensure equality in accessibility by targeted underserved populations. Producers will develop the skills needed to manage risk and navigate crop insurance options. 

 

 

2. Reaching Native and Underserved Producers with AgFTAP Training and Resources 

Recently the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched the Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network (DBAN), an initiative designed to provide personalized support to financially distressed farmers and ranchers across the nation. As a subaward of the University of Arkansas, recipient of DBAN, Native Agriculture Financial Services (NAFS) will use team expertise which consists of Ag Lawyers, Ag Economists, and Ag Lenders to reach Native and underserved communities with materials, resource,s and in-person assistance to help producers navigate financial difficulties and increase farm profit. NAFS has worked with Native CDFI’s nationwide and can effectively reach the Native lending network of current and potential borrowers. NAFS also has extensive knowledge of and lengthy continuous interactions with other underserved communities, their lenders, and their technical supporters. NAFS leadership has identified educational gaps in technical assistance specifically aligned with this project and aims to expand upon the AgFTAP program by providing the following financial trainings:  

• Basic information on completing a loan application 
• Assisting lenders who will be guaranteed lenders for FSA 
• Unique access and land use for underserved producers 
• Food safety training, entity and land tenure  
• Fractionated land and leasing  
• Bankruptcy and appeal process 
• Ag mediation programs 

 

 

3. Farm Loan Program Technical Assistance for Native and Underserved Farmers and Ranchers in the Southern and Western Region  

Farmers and ranchers must have access to capital and technical assistance to remain sustainable. Many rural and remote producers have been historically underserved by many USDA programs. Efforts are underway across all USDA programs to increase underserved farmers’ access to capital. This project aims to provide technical assistance to Native and underserved producers that will increase participation in the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Farm Loan Programs (FLP) by utilizing existing relationships and financial training history with Tribal producers in the targeted critical areas of the southern region. Native Agriculture Financial Services (NAFS) was created out of the dire need for Native and underserved producers who have been turned away in the past to have the resources to access capital. NAFS team will use current digital fact sheets, webinars, and videos developed by USDA/FSA farm loan programs and address barriers to capital by building relationships and trust. NAFS will develop a robust FSA FLP technical assistance network that will exist alongside NAFS’ own technical assistance efforts, that will be sustainable for farming generations of the future. Ensuring our NAFS target borrower audience is fully versed in FSA FLP efforts to modernize and strengthen support to underserved producers is the overarching goal of this project. 

 

Outcomes: 

1. Tribal and other underserved producers will learn and understand the FSA FLP resources and products available. 
2. Tribal and other underserved producers will understand the loan application process. 
3. Tribal and other underserved producers will be able to gather application documents. 
4. Tribal and other underserved producers will have the skill set to develop an application. 
5. Tribal and other underserved producers will understand farm record keeping, business and strategic planning, legal and tax issues, financials and state and federal farm programs. 
6. Tribal and other underserved producers will understand what is expected of them after they become a borrower. 
7. Tribal and other underserved producers will understand how to access and use loan servicing resources.