**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** DAIRY PRODUCERS FACE GREATER AND MORE RISK THAN MANY BUSINESSES DUE TO LONGER CAPACITY BUILDING LEAD TIME AND A CONTINUOUSPRODUCTION CYCLE. MOREOVER, PRICE VOLATILITY HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY HIGH MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR DAIRY PRODUCERS TO MAINTAIN STABLE MARGINS, ESPECIALLY SMALL AND MID-SIZE OPERATIONS. THE GOAL OF OUR RESEARCH IS TO ASSESS HOW DAIRY PRODUCERS OF ALL SIZES AND TYPES PERCEIVE RISK, IDENTIFY BARRIERS THAT KEEP THEM FROM ADOPTING RISK MANAGEMENT TOOLS, AND EVALUATE AND OPTIMIZE MARGIN PROTECTION STRATEGIES THAT RESULT IN MORE STABLE PROFITS TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC VIABILITY.OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: 1) DETERMINE DAIRY PRODUCERS' ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF RISK AND RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES; 2) IDENTIFY PORTFOLIOS OF RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TAILORED TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRODUCERS; AND 3) ASSESS THE EFFICACY OF THE STRATEGIES ON MARGIN MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR VARIED TYPES OF DAIRY PRODUCERS.WE WILL SURVEY DAIRY PRODUCERS REGARDING HOW THEY PERCEIVE AND INTERACT WITH MARKET RISK. WE WILL USE STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING TO ESTIMATE THE ANTECEDENTS TO ADOPTION OF RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. BASED ON THE OUTCOMES, A PANEL OF EXPERTS AND DAIRY PRODUCERS WILL HELP BUILD A PORTFOLIO OF RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR MARGIN PROTECTION. ULTIMATELY, THROUGH SIMULATION, WE WILL TEST THE EFFICACY OF THESE PORTFOLIOS BY PRODUCER TYPE TO DETERMINE TAILORED RISK MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT BEST FIT DIFFERENT TYPES OF DAIRY PRODUCERS.OUR PROJECT SUPPORTS THE ECONOMICS, MARKETS AND TRADE PROGRAM PRIORITY OF COMPETITIVENESS IN DOMESTIC MARKETS. SPECIFICALLY, WE FOCUS ON THE PRIORITY SCOPE OF PRICE STABILIZATION AND INCOME SUPPORT IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.