Central Kentucky Growers Association began in 1999 as a vegetable marketing cooperative when a small group of growers decided to diversify away from tobacco, which had been a mainstay on farms in the area. The new focus of their efforts was on horticulture production. At the time, there wasn’t a cold storage facility in the area, so the co-op was formed to help horticulture producers get started.
“We wanted growers to have a place to come together and market their produce,” Zeldon Angel, current President of CKGA, states. “We helped teach people how to grow and how to develop a marketing strategy and over time, those producers have grown into more sustainable businesses.”
Now, the facility in Georgetown primarily operates as a cross-docking facility, where producers can use the facility to cool and ship out their produce. Still using the co-op mentality, everyone volunteers and works together to help maintain the facility, which benefits many producers in the area.
Over the years, CKGA has worked with KCARD on various projects, from the formation of the co-op to expansions.
“We’ve had a working relationship with KCARD since the beginning of CKGA, working with Brent Lackey and Larry Snell. Both were instrumental in the early days of developing financials and helping us understand them,” Zeldon says.
That relationship has continued as the co-op has changed and Zeldon looks ahead to future projects, including involvement in the KDA Local Food Purchase Assistance Program. 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. CKGA initially anticipated distributing 1000 boxes per week throughout the season and have been able to average 1800 boxes per week since September.
“Right now, we have 16 different producers involved contributing everything from eggs, produce, and other proteins, and we expect to add more producers soon,” Zeldon notes. “It’s a great opportunity all around because producers are able to have a market for their products at a good price and people who need it are getting access to healthy local foods. Lynsey Crumbie has done a great job managing the program and helping us figure it all out.”
Though the focus of the co-op has changed over the years, the cooperative mentality has translated into future opportunities for involved growers. One thing that hasn’t changed over the years is KCARD’s willingness to help in any way.
“I still bounce ideas off of Brent all the time, and he consistently checks in with us to see how things are going. He has helped us stay encouraged since the beginning when we really didn’t know what was going to happen,” Zeldon says.
Learn more about the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Program HERE.