Forming an LLC is an important step in protecting your farm or food business—but it’s only the beginning. To truly gain the benefits of limited liability, you need to operate like an LLC in practice. That means keeping finances separate, maintaining records, and following the right business practices. Learn the key differences between having an LLC and running one—and how to make sure your business is protected.
Applying for a grant for your farm or food business can feel overwhelming. From project planning and budgets to telling your story, there’s a lot to manage. Check out our blog for 5 tips to strengthen your application and see how we can guide you through the process.
AI isn’t just for big tech companies — it’s already part of the tools you use every day. From creating social media posts to understanding your customers, AI can make farm and food marketing faster, easier, and more effective. Here’s how it works and simple ways to get started.
As we celebrate National Farmers Market Week, Greenup County Farmers Market shines as an example of how a small gathering of growers in 2004 has grown into a thriving market under a new pavilion—building community, supporting small businesses, and expanding food access with KCARD’s support.
In honor of National Farmers Market Week, we’re sharing how Community Farmers Market in Bowling Green grew from six vendors in a parking lot to a thriving, year-round local food hub. Read how their partnership with KCARD has helped fuel their success and helped make fresh, local food more accessible for everyone.
As we celebrate National Farmers Market Week, Greenup County Farmers Market shines as an example of how a small gathering of growers in 2004 has grown into a thriving market under a new pavilion—building community, supporting small businesses, and expanding food access with KCARD’s support.
In honor of National Farmers Market Week, we’re sharing how Community Farmers Market in Bowling Green grew from six vendors in a parking lot to a thriving, year-round local food hub. Read how their partnership with KCARD has helped fuel their success and helped make fresh, local food more accessible for everyone.
This Dairy Month, we’re celebrating more than just milk—we’re honoring the hardworking families who bring it to our tables. Just outside Campbellsburg, Kentucky, siblings Sharon and Terry Rowlett turned a family farm challenge into a thriving creamery business. With grit, creativity, and support from KCARD, they transformed their dairy operation into Rowlett’s Milkhouse Creamery—proving that with the right support, rural dreams can grow strong.
Central Kentucky Grower's Assocation, which began as a vegetable marketing cooperative in 1999, has been looking ahead to new projects, including participating in the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Program through the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Through this program, CKGA are using their producer connections in the area to source and build food boxes that are then distributed to underserved communities across the state with a focus on Eastern Kentucky.
Sustainable Harvest Farm is a produce farm in London, KY owned and operated by Ford and Amanda Waterstrat. Sustainable Harvest Farm is focused on providing sustainably grown organic produce across the state and a fully customizable CSA program.
Happy National Farmers Market Week! This week, we’re celebrating with farmers markets across the state, like Franklin County Farmers Market, and highlighting how KCARD can work with markets on various projects.
July is Kentucky Cut Flower Month, so we’re celebrating with a spotlight on the Kentucky Flower Market! Owned by Sarah Torgerson and Kayla Carey, the Kentucky Flower Market, based in Simpsonville, KY, is a collaborative market of flower farmers who sell and market together, primarily through an online platform.
June is Dairy Month in Kentucky! To celebrate, we’re spotlighting Legacy Dairy, a fourth-generation family farm operated by the Jones family in Barren County, KY. Legacy Dairy offers whole, non-homogenized milk that comes strictly from cows raised and cared for on the farm, where it’s also bottled and processed.
For Beef Month in Kentucky, we’re highlighting Roaring Shoals Farm! Roaring Shoals Farm is a small Black Angus beef farm in Breathitt County, owned and operated by Erik and Amy Holbrook. Both raised on farms in Breathitt County, Erik and Amy take pride in raising grain-finished, dry-aged beef that is born and raised on the farm.
Cherry Farms, located in the small community of Fountain Run, KY, has been the home and workplace of three generations of the Cherry family – but that doesn’t mean the farm has looked the same for all of these years. The farm started as a small dairy, beef cattle and tobacco operation, but owners Mark and Tonya Cherry shifted the focus to USDA-inspected beef and pork as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development is a non-profit organization established to facilitate agricultural and rural businesses in Kentucky. We are supported primarily through grants provided by the USDA Rural Cooperative Development Program and the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board. Additional support is provided through our work with partners around the state and through fees charged for select client services.
