Every farm faces risk, but knowing where your biggest vulnerabilities are can help you prepare before problems happen. In this workshop, Kevin Bernhardt (UWisc), Charley Maxwell (Clemson), and Maria of MX Morningstar Farm will share practical tools and real-world approaches for assessing farm risk, preparing for emergencies, improving agritourism safety, and making sure critical business responsibilities do not fall through the cracks.

Kevin Bernhardt, developer of the Risk-Resiliency Tool and Risk Assessment and Mitigation Worksheet, will introduce the basics of farm risk management and walk participants through using these tools to identify and prioritize risks on their farms.

Charley Maxwell will introduce the Emergency Preparedness Workbook, a collection of templates, checklists, and worksheets for preparing for emergencies and reducing risk. A major focus will be integrating safety into agritourism, including guest communication, traffic and parking flow, children’s play areas, signage, and activity-specific safety checklists.

Maria of MX Morningstar Farm will share her “Doom & Gloom” spreadsheets, which document the many non-daily responsibilities required to keep her farm business running. From business registrations to workplace safety requirements, the spreadsheets track what needs to be done, how often, and where to find the information or resources needed to complete each task. Maria will explain how she developed the system to prepare for situations where she may be injured, ill, or otherwise unable to manage the farm.

You’ll leave with practical tools for identifying risks, organizing critical farm information, improving safety, and preparing your business for the unexpected.