Current Projects
Holistic Rangeland & Livestock Risk Management Program for Limited English Audiences (Herd Health)
AgForce is currently partnering with the USDA, Risk Management Agency (RMA). The goal of the partnership is to design, implement, and evaluate a holistic rangeland and livestock risk management model to assist American Indians producers in the Northern New Mexico Pueblos. The model is targeted at developing skills, awareness, and techniques in the area of rangeland and livestock management, which includes marketing, herd health and nutrition, as well as, basic economic and record keeping principles. The approach proposed to accomplish the objectives of developing a comprehensive holistic management plan for producers operating on tribal lands, is to utilize existing proven techniques that have been adopted by other livestock and forage producers across the United States. The Partnership is currently in Phase II: Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation. The Partnership is scheduled to conclude in the fall of 2007. The model/tool is expected to be adaptable to other underserved audiences.
AgForce is working with New Mexico State University in reaching the following Pueblos:
Northern Pueblos:
- Pueblo of Pojoaque
- Pueblo of Tesuque
- Pueblo of San Juan
- Pueblo of San Ildonfonso
- Santa Clara Indian Pueblo
- Taos Pueblo
Southern Pueblos:
- Pueblo of Acoma
- Pueblo of Cochiti
- Pueblo of Jemez
- Pueblo of Santo Domingo
- Pueblo of San Felipe
- Ysleta del Sur Pueblo
Pasture, Rangeland, Forage – Rainfall Index Crop Insurance Pilot Program (PRF - Rainfall Index)
AgForce is currently the primary subcontractor to GMS on the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage – Rainfall Index Crop Insurance Pilot Program. This program has been approved for pilot starting with the 2007 Crop Year, available for a limited number of acres for testing in selected states.
AgForce’s principal responsibilities were in actuarial and underwriting development, including all actuarial and statistical analysis, as well as program and policy material development.
This innovative pilot program is based on a rainfall index and was developed to offset losses in the value of forage produced for grazing or harvested for hay. These products will use new technology to address the need to offset losses in forage production across diverse range and pasture environments. The Rainfall Index is based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data and uses an approximate12-mile square grid. Producers must select at least two, two month time periods during which precipitation is important for the growth of the forage species being produced. These time periods are called Index Intervals. Insurance payments to a producer suffering a loss are calculated based on the deviation from normal precipitation within the grid and index interval(s) selected. This insurance coverage is for a single peril – lack of precipitation.
The Rainfall Index program will be piloted in 220 counties in Colorado, Idaho, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Dakota, and Texas.
This product was designed to allow maximum flexibility for the producer. The producer will be asked to make several choices when insuring grazingland or hayland production including coverage level, index intervals, productivity factor, and number of acres. Producers will work with their crop insurance agents to view the map and index grids for their area, and assign acreage to one or more grids based on the location and use of the insured acreage.
More detailed information about this pilot program is available at the following websites:
http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/pasturerangeforage
http://prfri-rma-map.tamu.edu/
Pasture, Rangeland, Forage – Vegetation Index Crop Insurance Pilot Program (PRF - Vegetation Index)
AgForce is currently the primary subcontractor to GMS on the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage – Vegetation Index Crop Insurance Pilot Program. This program has been approved for pilot starting with the 2007 Crop Year, available for a limited number of acres for testing in selected states.
AgForce’s principal responsibilities were in actuarial and underwriting development, including all actuarial and statistical analysis, as well as program and policy material development.
This innovative pilot program is based on a vegetation greenness and was developed to offset losses in the value of forage produced for grazing or harvested for hay. This product will use new technology to address the need to offset losses in forage production across diverse range and pasture environments. The Vegetation Index uses the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science data center. The NDVI alternative is a measure of vegetation greenness and correlates to forage condition and productive capacity in approximately 4.8-mile square grids. In general, the healthier the plants in a given grid, the higher the NDVI value. With this plan of insurance, producers may select one or more, three month time period(s) that represents a producer’s forage species production. These time periods are called index intervals. Losses are calculated using the Vegetation Index are indemnified based on the deviation from normal within the grid and index interval(s) selected.
The Vegetation Index will be tested in 110 counties in Colorado, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and South Dakota.
This product was designed to allow maximum flexibility for the producer. The producer will be asked to make several choices when insuring grazingland or hayland production including coverage level, index intervals, productivity factor, and number of acres. Producers will work with their crop insurance agents to view the map and index grids for their area, and assign acreage to one or more grids based on the location and use of the insured acreage.
More detailed information about this pilot program is available at the following websites:
Clients/Partners
