Managing Agricultural Risk: Examining Information Sources Preferred by Limited Resource Farmers

The study reported here explored limited resource farmers' perceptions of the usefulness of selected sources of risk management information using survey data collected among small and limited resource farmers in north Alabama. The rationale is to understand the information needs of this group of farmers and to customize outreach programs to address their needs. The results suggest that farmers' characteristics are correlated with their perceptions of the sources of information they consider valuable. Another key finding was that sources such as computerized systems and marketing clubs are the less preferred information sources.