Southern Risk Management Education Center

Heirs' property can quietly become one of the biggest threats to family land, agricultural operations and generational wealth.

Kara Woods with the National Policy Research Center helps unpack what heirs' property is, how it develops and why clear estate planning and family communication matter so much for landowners and farm families.

Woods also reminds us that prevention starts with practical steps families can begin now: getting everyone together, building a family tree, understanding who is paying the taxes and reconnecting with why the land matters to the family’s legacy.

Listen to the full FARM Champion podcast episode here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2606657/episodes/19282916-episode-9-heirs-property-protecting-land-preserving-legacy-and-building-knowledge-for-farm-families

Learn more from the National Agricultural Policy Research Center here:
https://linktr.ee/nationalpolicyresearchcenter

Cover Crops in the United States: Trends, Benefits, and Considerations for Farmers Cover crops are plants typically grown by farmers to improve soil health, help with carbon sequestration, w**d suppression, and reduce erosion. Unlike cash crops, cover crops are not intended to be sold for a profit, but rather, to serve as a natural complement to the production of cash crops (typic...

In the latest episode of the FARM Champion Podcast, Ahlishia Shipley visits with Kylie Fleming to learn more about the role of mediation in helping producers navigate difficult decisions and challenging conversations.

Fleming serves as Executive Director of Iowa Mediation Service and is the owner of outSIGHTin. During the conversation, she shares insights on:

• Understanding agricultural mediation

• Managing conflict in agriculture

• Navigating succession and family decisions

🎧 Listen here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2606657/episodes/19243950-episode-8-navigating-conflict-in-agriculture-through-mediation

Learn more about Kylie Fleming's work:
Iowa Mediation Service: www.iowamediationservice.com
outSIGHTin: www.outsightin.org
📖 https://www.bookpresspublishing.com/authors/kiley-fleming

🌾 Excited to share our very first FARM Champion Newsletter! Designed to connect organizations, educators, and agricultural stakeholders with updates, resources, and opportunities supporting farmers and ranchers across the region.

FARM Champions work to strengthen agricultural resilience through outreach, education, business planning support, and collaboration aimed at long-term farm sustainability.

In this inaugural issue, you’ll find updates focused on:
✔️ FARM Champion initiatives and network growth
✔️ Resources supporting agricultural producers
✔️ Upcoming opportunities and ways to stay engaged
✔️ Stories and information centered on farm viability and resilience

📬 Read the first newsletter here:

Introducing the FARM Champion Newsletter! Email from Southern Risk Management Education Center A new space to recognize impact, share resources, and connect champions across agriculture     IN THIS ISSUE Understanding the Current Credit Lands

🎧 New episode!
Protecting the Farm Legacy Through Estate Transition Planning

Planning for farm transition involves important conversations about succession, legacy, and the future of agricultural operations. Special guest Paul Goeringer, Principal Faculty Specialist and Extension Legal Specialist with the University of Maryland - Agriculture Law Education Initiative, discusses topics related to estate transition planning and considerations for protecting the long-term future of farm operations.

Listen now!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2606657/episodes/19198981-episode-7-protecting-the-farm-legacy-through-estate-transition-planning

Check out our Associate Center Director, Dr. Hunter Biram, featured on the Grainiacs podcast from Riceland Foods.

In this episode, “Tight Margins, Tough Decisions,” he discusses challenges facing agriculture and producer decision-making in today’s environment.

New on Grainiacs 🎙️

Low prices. High input costs. Uncertainty in policy.

This season is shaping up to be more about risk management than anything else.
In our latest episode, we sit down with ag economist Dr. Hunter Biram to talk through what’s driving the ag outlook right now and what it means for your operation.

Listen now: https://bit.ly/42Ua2sk

We’re proud to share this recent story highlighting the FARM Champion project and the people working to connect producers with trusted, unbiased support during challenging times in agriculture.

FARM Champions help link farmers to expertise in financial issues, business planning, tax considerations, asset protection, and available risk management resources.

The network currently includes FARM Champions in 44 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico, with a goal of expanding further. Champions come from land-grant universities, law schools, and community organizations, all working to strengthen long-term resilience in agriculture.

Read more from the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Arkansas:
https://uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2026/may/05-13-2026-ark-FARM-Champions.aspx

Connect with a FARM Champion near you: https://agftap.org/Home/FARMChampions

In troubled times, FARM Champions emerge At a time when farmers are facing their darkest season in four decades, there’s a cohort of FARM Champions ready to help. 

Incorporating AI and Digital Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges for Rural Counties Authors: An-Ting Liao (Graduate Research Assistant, TAMU) & Chrystol Thomas (Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, AgriLife Extension) Agriculture is a critical pillar of economic activity in rural communities, driving employment, income stability, and local economic development (Unjia et al...

New episode from the FARM Champion Podcast 🎙️🌾

This week, host Ahlishia Shipley speaks with Jonathan Shepherd (Agricultural Extension Specialist at the University of Kentucky) about farm tax planning and recordkeeping as critical risk management tools for agricultural producers.

The conversation explores:
• Why recordkeeping should be viewed as a year-round practice
• Common challenges producers face with systems and organization
• How strong records can support access to capital and decision-making
• The role disciplined recordkeeping plays in long-term farm resilience

As Jonathan shares in the episode...
“Your record keeping is you telling your story.”

Listen to Episode 6 of the FARM Champion Podcast here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2606657/episodes/19160466-episode-6-telling-your-farm-story-through-recordkeeping

Dr. Hunter Biram, Associate Center Director, shares insights on the financial pressures and recovery challenges producers continue to navigate across the agricultural sector 🌾

Read the article here: https://uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2026/april/04-28-2026-ark-farm-disaster-payments.aspx

Arkansas farmers could see more than $150 million in disaster relief as the USDA expands Supplemental Disaster Relief Program payments and extends the application deadline to August 12. Extension economist Dr. Hunter Biram says the added funding—potentially doubling earlier payments—could help offset a share of the state’s steep farm income losses caused by rising costs and recent natural disasters.

Read more here: https://uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2026/april/04-28-2026-ark-farm-disaster-payments.aspx