Farm Insurance Basics - Are You Fully Covered?

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Farms face a variety of risks every day, from fire, theft, or accidents to crop loss, injury, or even death. Are you truly covered for all these possibilities? Are there gaps in your insurance that could put your farm at financial risk? Cornell Cooperative Extension and FarmNet are hosting a lunchtime webinar series to help farmers answer these questions and better understand how insurance can protect their operations.

The series, titled “I Thought I Was Covered for That! Understanding Farm Insurance Policies,” takes place on Tuesdays from 12:00-1:30 PM beginning January 13 and continuing through February 10. Participants can attend a single session or all five, and registration for any session provides access to the full series.

The schedule includes:

January 13 - Insurance and Risk Management 101: Learn the basics of insurance policies, common terms, and key considerations when evaluating coverage. Presented by Steve Hadcock (Capital District Hort Team) and Greg Murk (FarmNet).
January 20 - Liability Insurance: Explore coverage for situations where your farm operation could cause harm, whether it involves visitors or selling food products. Robert Hadad (Cornell Vegetable Program) and Elizabeth Higgins (Eastern NY Commercial Hort Program) will lead this session.
January 27 - Crop Insurance and Disaster Coverage: Federal programs that protect against losses from weather, natural disasters, or livestock issues. Presented by Elizabeth Higgins.
February 3 - Insuring People: Options for health, life, and disability insurance for farmers and employees. Led by Maire Ullrich (CCE Orange County) and Lucas Smith (Cornell Ag Workforce Development).
February 10 - Property Insurance: Guidance on protecting equipment, infrastructure, and livestock from loss, featuring Colin Hostetter (Tri-County Ag Team), Desiree Keever (CCE Delaware County), Steve Glick, and Kevin Daniels (insurance professionals).

This series equips farmers with knowledge to make informed insurance decisions, reduce financial risk, and safeguard both their business and livelihood.

For complete information, visit https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/event.php?id=2137

Photo Credit: gettyimages-shotbydave