The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced they will be conducting listening sessions throughout the country this winter to gather feedback and to discuss policy improvements to livestock products.

RMA will be conducting more than a dozen in-person and virtual workshops this winter for producers to learn about new and expanded livestock risk management products. This “Roadshow” will highlight policy improvements based on the feedback from producers as a way to promote, educate, and broaden RMA’s outreach to livestock producers.

Specifically, RMA will be discussing and soliciting feedback on the following products:

• Annual Forage
• Dairy Revenue Protection
• Livestock Gross Margin
• Livestock Risk Protection
• Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage
• Weaned Calf Risk Protection (New for Calendar Year 2024)

Virtual sessions will take place on January 8 and January 17, 2024. Unfortunately, there are no in-person listening sessions in Virginia or adjacent states. Producers can register for these virtual programs on RMA’s website.

The Livestock Roadshow builds on other recent outreach and education efforts. Earlier this year, RMA held a roadshow highlighting insurance options for specialty crop, organic, and urban producers, drawing more than 3,000 attendees. Additionally, since 2021, RMA has invested around $13 million in partnerships to advance risk management education.