committee include Extension educa- tors, Farm Bureau, the Department of Agriculture, and industry organizations. Programs offered include workshops and one-on-one sessions with technical advisors. The RMA program has a suite of educational resources. A video series was created featuring farmers from different sectors of agriculture discussing how crop insurance has helped their operation. A monthly e-newsletter was recently intro- duced. Each issue showcases a farmer, and provides tips that farmers can immediately put into practice. Agricultural producers appreciate that RMA programs have an impartial approach, and are not trying to sell any- thing. Program instructors serve as techni- cal advisors and a sounding board. UConn Extension is part of a network of information through our association with other land grant universities and Extension systems, and brings in outside expertise as its needed by our farmers. Risk management is also incorporated into other UConn Extension programs for agri- cultural producers. Connecticut farmers have experienced a tremendous shift from wholesale to retail marketing. The demands on farmers and growers to understand how to promote and market value added crops has added another level of responsibility, where before farmers only focused on produc- tion. Direct marketing brings another whole area of risk through product liability and competition. Not all national crop insurance pro- grams fit Connecticut agriculture. Farmers need to make an informed decision based on the facts as to whether or not a policy fits their business, and should be purchased. Bonelli and Concklin provide feedback to USDA on the reasons why Connecticut farmers choose not to pur- chase insurance, with the goal of improv- ing federal programs available. “We try to be on the leading edge of what’s new to help farmers be more pro- ductive and financially viable,” Bonelli concludes. “It’s rewarding that UConn Extension is part of the success and resiliency of farmers in our state. No one organization is responsible, we’re part of a team working with the farmers to grow their businesses.” Article by Stacey Stearns Contact Joseph Bonelli joseph.bonelli@uconn.edu ctfarmrisk.uconn.edu Photo left, courtesy of UConn Media Gallery. Above, a scenic view of a farm in southern Connecticut. Tools and resources including fact sheets, a video series, and an e-newsletter can be found on the ctfarmrisk.uconn.edu website. 2018 HIGHLIGHTS OF EXTENSION 13 HE