I thought I was covered for that! Farm Insurance Webinar Series, Jan-Feb 2026
- What if a [fill in the blank - fire, accident, flood, theft, death, injury] happens to your farm business? Are you covered for that?
- What are the risks that you should be concerned about? What steps are you taking to manage those risks?
Cornell Cooperative Extension and FarmNet are offering a lunchtime webinar series on Tuesdays in January and February from 12:00-1:30 starting on January 13 and running through February 10 to help answer some of these questions and more,
"I thought I was covered for that! Understanding Farm Insurance Policies" is a webinar series intended to help farmers understand different types of insurance coverage and how to use insurance as a tool to manage financial risks. Join us for one or for all five. Your registration on any date will give you a link to all five webinars.
Schedule:
January 13 (12:00-1:30) Insurance and Risk Management 101. This first webinar will cover many of the general provisions found in insurance policies and describe some of the terms to be aware of when you are considering your options. Steve Hadcock, Capital District Hort Team and Greg Murk, FarmNet.
January 20 (12:00-1:30) Liability Insurance. Liability Insurance is coverage for the risk that your business will cause harm to someone. Are you having people on your farm or selling a food product? You probably need liability insurance! Robert Hadad, Cornell Vegetable Program, Elizabeth Higgins, Eastern NY Commercial Hort Program.
January 27 (12:00-1:30) Crop Insurance and Disaster Coverage. Federal programs to help farmers cover risk of crop and livestock and business losses from weather and natural disasters. Elizabeth Higgins, Eastern NY Commercial Hort Program.
February 3 (12:00-1:30) Insuring People. Options for health insurance, life insurance and disability insurance, and how they can help farmers and their employees. Maire Ullrich, CCE Orange County and Lucas Smith, Cornell Ag Workforce Development
February 10 (12:00-1:30): Property Insurance. Insuring your infrastructure, equipment, and livestock from loss. Learn about the types of coverage, and the risks they reduce. Colin Hostetter, Tri-County Ag Team, Desiree Keever, CCE Delaware County and Steve Glick, Kevin Daniels Agency.
Event Details
Date
January 13, 2026
Time
12:00-1:30
Location
Zoom
Host
Cornell Farm Business Management Educators
Elizabeth Higgins
(518) 949-3722
email Elizabeth Higgins
Event Registration
Session 1: Insurance and Risk Management 101
Insurance and Risk Management 101. This first webinar will cover many of the general provisions found in insurance policies and describe some of the terms to be aware of when you are considering your options. Steve Hadcock, Capital District Hort Team and Greg Murk, FarmNet. What is insurance? What are common types of policies? How do you know what is covered or not covered? How do you know what needs to be covered?
Event Details
Date
January 20, 2026
Time
12:00-1:30
Location
Zoom
Host
Cornell Farm Business Management Educators
Elizabeth Higgins
(518) 949-3722
email Elizabeth Higgins
Event Registration
Session 2: Liability Insurance
Liability Insurance is coverage for the risk that your business will cause harm to someone. Are you having people on your farm or selling a food product? You probably need liability insurance! Robert Hadad, Cornell Vegetable Program, Elizabeth Higgins, Eastern NY Commercial Hort Program.
Event Details
Date
January 27, 2026
Time
12:00-1:30
Location
Zoom
Host
Cornell Farm Business Management Educators
Elizabeth Higgins
(518) 949-3722
email Elizabeth Higgins
Event Registration
Session 3:Protecting Yourself from Disasters (Crop Insurance, USDA FSA programs and Flood Insurance)
Are you protected from a weather event on your farm? Learn about your options for Disaster Coverage (crop insurance, FSA programs, flood insurance). These are federal programs to help farmers cover risk of crop and livestock and business losses from weather and natural disasters. Elizabeth Higgins, Eastern NY Commercial Hort Program.
Event Details
Date
February 3, 2026
Time
12:00-1:30
Location
Zoom
Host
Cornell Farm Business Management Educators
Elizabeth Higgins
(518) 949-3722
email Elizabeth Higgins
Event Registration
Session 4: Insuring People (health, life and disability insurance)
Options for health insurance, life insurance and disability insurance, and how they can help farmers and their employees. Maire Ullrich, CCE Orange County and Lucas Smith, Cornell Ag Workforce Development
Event Details
Date
February 10, 2026
Time
12:00-1:30
Location
Zoom
Host
Cornell Farm Business Management Educators
Elizabeth Higgins
(518) 949-3722
email Elizabeth Higgins
Event Registration
Session 5: Property Insurance
Insuring your infrastructure, equipment, and livestock from loss. Learn about the types of coverage, and the risks they reduce. Colin Hostetter, Tri-County Ag Team, Desiree Keever, CCE Delaware County and Steve Glick, Kevin Daniels Agency.
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Grapes
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Parsnips
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Raspberries / Blackberries
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
Eastern New York Grapevine Pruning Workshops - Highland
March 19, 2026 : Eastern New York Grapevine Pruning Workshop
Higland, NY
This workshop is ideal for anyone looking to learn or refresh their grapevine pruning skills.
2026 Cornell Winter Fruit Webinar Series
January 22, 2026 : Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
Week 1: Blueberry Pruning and Soil Health to Minimize Pests and Maximize Yield
January 29, 2026 : Cost of Production for Fruit Crops
Week 2: Cost of Production for Fruit Crops - A new tool for tree fruit, updates on berry production in NY, and strategies for tracking and using expense data
February 12, 2026 : Fire Blight Management Updates
Week 3: Fire Blight Management Updates - Pathogen Biology, Defense Inducers, Biopesticides, and Pruning Therapies
February 19, 2026 : Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides- Can We Strike the Right Balance?
Week 4: Pink and Petal Fall Insecticides - Can We Strike the Right Balance?
March 12, 2026 : Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
Week 5: Inoculating Orchards with Mycorrhizal Fungi
March 19, 2026 : St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
Week 6: St. Peachtrick's Day - Cherry Pruning Strategies and Plum Varieties for the Northeast
Leading the Farm Team: Supervisory Skills for New Managers
April 14, 2026 : Session 1: Becoming a Supervisor
The transition from working alongside employees to supervising them can be challenging. This session explores the shift from individual contributor to supervisor and the mindset and skills needed to lead a team effectively. Participants will learn about the role of a supervisor, key leadership behaviors, and how to build trust and credibility with employees.
April 21, 2026 : Session 2: Improving Performance
This session will introduce the performance triad—clear expectations, training, and feedback—to support employee success. We will discuss practical communication strategies, how to give constructive feedback, and how supervisors can help employees improve their performance over time.
April 28, 2026 : Session 3: Managing Conflict
Supervisors are responsible for maintaining a professional and respectful workplace. This session covers some of the legal and ethical responsibilities of supervisors and the responsibilities managers have in addressing workplace concerns.
Participants will also explore common sources of workplace conflict, learn to recognize potential biases that can influence management decisions, and discuss practical approaches for addressing difficult situations and resolving conflicts at work.