Terms and Conditions

There are three simple steps to obtaining and maintaining the Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist (AFIS^®) certification:

1. Complete the core curriculum, consisting of 5 courses, within 60 months of starting the program.

2. Complete only 6 hours of CE credit every 12 months by completing an online course, attending the breakout sessions or core courses at an Emmett J Vaughan Agribusiness Conference, or attending an approved seminar, webinar, or other educational event. Every third year, the 6 hours must be completed by attending an Emmett J Vaughan Agribusiness Conference.

3. Agree to the terms and conditions enumerated below.

If any of these terms and conditions raise questions in your mind, please first consult the AFIS FAQs section for answers. If your question is not answered there, please feel free to contact IRMI.

Rules for Using the AFIS Certification

AFIS is a trademark of IRMI, and our rights to this mark are protected under the law. When you register for the AFIS program in the AFIS Learning Center, you agree to all the terms and conditions enumerated below. If you complete the AFIS core curriculum within 60 months of beginning it, you receive a revocable, nonexclusive, nontransferable, royalty-free license to use the AFIS trademark. All of the following terms and conditions apply to your certification and use of the AFIS mark:

1. Immediately upon completion of the AFIS five-part core curriculum, you are licensed to publish and announce that you are a holder of the Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist certification and to display the AFIS trademark in conjunction with your name until December 31 of the following year.

2. You may renew your license to use the AFIS certification for additional 12-month periods by completing at least 6 hours of AFIS continuing education courses or approved seminars/conferences prior to December 31 each year. Your license expires on December 31 if you have not completed (and, if a seminar or conference, notified us of completion of) the required renewal CE.

3. Your display of the AFIS certification with your name will place a comma before the certification, followed by the certification in all capital letters without periods or other punctuation (for example: John Doe, AFIS).

4. Your display of the AFIS certification on LinkedIn should be in the “Licenses and Certifications” section of your profile. It is to be worded as follows: AFIS—Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist.

5. Your display/mention of the AFIS certification in a résumé, biography, or similar document should be either simply as “AFIS” or “AFIS—Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist” (without the quotes for either one).

6. Whenever the AFIS mark is displayed in a typeface larger than 12 points, place the registered trademark symbol ® in superscript to the right of the mark.

7. In the event you fail to comply with any provisions of these Terms and Conditions of Use, IRMI revokes your license as provided for herein, or you fail to renew your certification by completing the required CE courses, your license to use the AFIS mark will be immediately revoked and you shall immediately discontinue using the AFIS trademark, destroy any business cards or other printed materials showing the AFIS mark, and cease claiming to be a holder of the Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist certification.

8. In the event your license to use the AFIS certification expires because you fail to renew it by completing the required CE courses, you must complete the core curriculum to again earn the right to use the AFIS certification.

9. You agree that IRMI may revoke your AFIS certification in the event you:
   • Are convicted of a felony
   • Are convicted of any state or federal crime related to insurance
   • Have an insurance license revoked due to violation of a state insurance code or statute
   • Display a pattern of unethical, illegal, or immoral behavior that reflects negatively on the AFIS certification

10. In the event IRMI revokes your certification, IRMI will email notification to the email address and send a registered letter to the postal address on record in the AFIS Learning Center. Your license to use the certification expires 3 business days after the registered letter is mailed whether or not you receive the letter or email message.

11. In the event IRMI revokes your certification, you may at any time appeal the revocation by contacting IRMI in writing and stating your reasons why you feel you should be allowed to use the AFIS certification. You agree that IRMI's decision regarding your appeal is binding and final.

12. You agree that the official mode of communication regarding the status of your certification is email and/or the AFIS-CE.com website. You agree to keep your email address current in the AFIS Learning Center and to periodically check the AFIS-CE.com website for announcements concerning your certification.

13. You specifically grant IRMI and WebCE permission to send you emails informing you of the status of your certification, new AFIS course offerings, approval of seminars and conferences for AFIS continuing education credit, and other important information regarding your certification. Except as respects official notices concerning your certification and the AFIS program, this agreement does not override our privacy statement, which protects you from other uses of your contact information.

14. You acknowledge International Risk Management Institute's sole ownership of the AFIS certification, and all associated goodwill, and that IRMI retains all right, title, and interest in and to the trademark. You will not use the AFIS certification in any manner that will diminish or otherwise damage our goodwill in the AFIS certification. You will not adopt, use, or register any corporate name, trade name, trademark, domain name, service mark or certification mark, or other designation or certification that violates IRMI's rights in the AFIS certification. IRMI shall have the sole right to and in its sole discretion may control any action concerning the display of the AFIS trademark.

15. You agree that, except when indicated otherwise in the course, the copyrights to all AFIS courses are the property of International Risk Management Institute, Inc., and that you will not contest the validity or ownership of the copyrights to any AFIS courses.

16. You agree that IRMI may change these Terms and Conditions at any time by posting the changes on the AFIS-CE.com website and emailing a notice that they have been changed to the email address you have on record with us in the AFIS Learning Center.