You are invited to participate in a Virtual Listening Session with Agralytica, which is working under contract for USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA).

Why? As part of the 2018 Farm Bill, Congress required RMA to solicit feedback about improved crop insurance coverage options for farmers and ranchers selling to local food markets (including but not limited to farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), road-side stands, restaurants, retailers, schools, and institutions). This includes discussing how existing crop insurance programs can be improved, as well as exploring the possibility of a new crop insurance program.

The feedback we receive will help us identify potential changes and/or additions to insurance options for producers supplying local markets.

Who? The sessions are primarily for farmers and ranchers who sell to local food markets and their representatives in the federal crop insurance industry.

When? There are several sessions, which will be held from mid-August through early September. You can view the complete schedule of sessions here. The sessions for farmers and ranchers will be divided by region, commodity, and market channel. Additionally, there will be sessions specifically for approved insurance providers (AIPs).

We request that you attend the session for your appropriate group; however, if that does not work for your schedule, please feel free to join us whenever it is convenient. Our contact information is also provided at the end of this announcement in case you are unable to make the scheduled sessions but still want to provide feedback.

What is a virtual listening session? It is a method to connect and talk with you via phone and/or an internet connection. You can participate in one of two ways:

1) By calling into the number provided to listen or speak, OR

2) You may call in and participate online through video conference (using Zoom), which allows you to view the host and some of the participants, as well as any visual material shared digitally.

Any information/feedback provided will be made anonymous prior to inclusion in any report. 

For more information, visit https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAMS/bulletins/2999b1f.