By Andi Anderson
Michigan State University (MSU) Extension’s Farm Policy and Risk Management Series has concluded for the 2024-2025 season, providing farmers with strategies to manage risks, improve marketing, and optimize farm profitability. Recordings from the series are now available online.
Key topics included marketing, risk management, and farm policy updates. Speakers discussed grain pricing, farm revenue, and input costs, helping farmers make informed financial decisions.
Sessions covered input purchasing strategies, grain marketing, and livestock insurance for beef and swine producers. Experts explained how to develop insurance protection plans and calculate indemnity payments.
The series also focused on Farm Bill commodity programs for 2025, guiding farmers through sign-up options and how they interact with crop insurance policies. The MSU Extension Farm Bill Analyzer was introduced as a tool to help producers select the best program for their needs.
A session on specialty crop marketing strategies explored diverse sales channels, helping farmers find the right mix of direct and intermediated markets to reduce financial risks.
A planned Michigan Apple Cost of Production (COP) study webinar was canceled, but a recorded session will be released in early summer. It will provide insights into production costs and how farmers can use the data for financial planning.
MSU also emphasized farm safety, covering heat stress and safety in the Farm Bill. The Farm Policy and Risk Management Series is free, and all session recordings are available on the MSU Farm Business Management homepage.
Photo Credit: michigan-state-university-msu-extension
Categories: Michigan, General