By Blake Jackson
Lincoln University of Missouri Associate Professor and State Extension Specialist for Small Ruminants Homero Salinas-Gonzalez has been honored with the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center’s (ERME) 2026 Outstanding Project Award.
The recognition was presented during the ERME National Conference held in Nashville, Tennessee, in April.
Funded through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, ERME supports educational initiatives that help agricultural producers strengthen their ability to manage operational risks.
Salinas-Gonzalez received the award for his project, “Pasture and Livestock Risk Management Education for Missouri Small Ruminant Farmers.”
“It’s very meaningful to me," Salinas-Gonzalez said. "As an immigrant, it’s hard to be known here, to start getting grants. Nobody knows you, and you have to earn trust if you want to get funding. And as far as I know, this was the first grant for Lincoln University from this agency, and I was the one to receive it.”
The project was selected from 24 entries competing across the North Central Region. Its goal was to help sheep and goat producers reduce risk through educational resources delivered via webinars, field days, online learning modules, and digital tools.
A key component of the initiative stemmed from a partnership with Ryan Fuez of Utah State University. After discovering Fuez’s insurance decision-support tool at a conference, Salinas-Gonzalez collaborated with him to adapt the resource for Missouri producers.
The tool helps farmers evaluate USDA Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage insurance options based on local conditions.
Farmer involvement also played a critical role in the project’s success. “The other part of the partnership was with the farmers," Salinas-Gonzalez said.
"With one farmer, we did a field day. Another farmer started doing training for other farmers. We started going to the Goat Expo as part of this as well."
According to ERME, more than 220 producers participated directly in educational events, while another 100 utilized online resources.
Salinas-Gonzalez noted, “Here at Lincoln, you get a lot of support doing this. I have felt a lot of respect and support.”
Photo Credit: lincoln-university-missouri
Categories: Missouri, Education, Livestock, Goats & Sheep