About the Webinar
This webinar, by Harriet Behar and Michael Stein of the Organic Farming Research Foundation, was recorded on Jan. 16, 2019. Managing risk is of utmost importance for all farmers, especially organic producers. This webinar will educate organic and transitioning growers on USDA risk management programs and provide a step by step guide to enrollment in crop insurance programs. The goals of this webinar are to improve understanding of risk management among organic producers and those seeking to transition to organic. This project supports RMA’s goal of increasing access to risk management practices and programs for underserved audiences.
About the Presenters
Michael Stein is an attorney and scientist who is passionate about organic and sustainable agriculture. He has focused his career on implementing legal and policy tools to address the environmental, health, and economic impacts of our food system. He first started working to protect the health and wealth of our natural resources with Midwest Environmental Advocates, assisting family farmers in protecting their homes and communities from the negative environmental impacts of large-scale industrial agriculture. While at Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic, he focused on the environmental and public health impacts of food waste, and also worked to address food sovereignty issues faced by Native American communities.
Harriet Behar As an organic farmer, inspector, educator and advocate, Harriet Behar has learned crop insurance is an important tool that provides a farm income safety net to manage risk in the face of unreliable weather and markets. Working with the Organic Farming Research Foundation, she co-authored a booklet detailing the considerations and insurance options for organic and sustainable farmers. She and her husband run a diverse organic vegetable, crop and livestock operation in Southwest Wisconsin.
Funding for this webinar is provided by the USDA Risk Management Agency.
