Maps help us navigate the world, and they not only show us how to get from point A to point B, but, depending on the type of map, they can also help us to see where patterns, clusters, and gaps exist in a spatial environment. As part of KCARD’s state-wide Local Food System Expansion Initiative, a series of interactive maps has been developed to visualize the Kentucky local food system. Stay tuned for parts two and three of the series in the next few weeks. We will present a closer look into local food sales in Kentucky and the various industries that make up the local food system.
With the upcoming growing season quickly approaching, the Kentucky AgVets program partners will be matching the first round of veteran participants with mentor farmers. Mentorships will be designed to provide hands-on training and develop a network for veterans looking to start their career in agriculture. Mentorships will start out at 9 months long and can be extended as needed if mentor and veteran participant agree.
There are lots of great resources available to Kentucky Producers. The Center for Crop Diversification offers budgets, horticulture profiles, and price reports. In our guest blog post by Brett Wolff, he discusses utilizing price reports in planning for next season.
In mid-July we hosted the “Direct-to-Consumer Beef Webinar Series” with several partners including the University of Kentucky Department of Animal and Sciences, Kentucky Beef Council, and several others. We offered this series to respond to the conversation and education around proper production, processing, business development, marketing, and sales for finished beef. We’ve pulled together a few of the noteworthy takeaways from the webinar series.
U-Pick operations are a critical direct marketing approach for many farms in Kentucky and provide customers with a unique hands-on connection to fresh produce grown locally. Here are some key points to keep in mind before you open for the season.
It is workshop season again! The KCARD Growing Your Farm and Food Business workshops will provide an in-depth understanding of business plan development along with an overview of funding options for farmers and agribusinesses in Kentucky. Each workshop will bring together speakers who work directly with national and state funding programs. Programs from USDA, the Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy, Kentucky State University, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and other agencies will be covered with many of these entities present and available for questions.
There will be a $18 per person fee to attend the workshop, with dinner and educational materials provided. For further information visit the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development’s Facebook page or contact Kati Bowman at kbowman@kcard.info or 859-415-4909.
Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Time: 4:30pm - 8:30pm local time
Location: 75 Cornwall Drive, Madisonville, KY 42431
Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Time: 4:30pm - 8:30pm local time
Location: 6028 Camp Ernst Road, Burlington, KY 41005
Date: Thursday, November 14, 2019
Time: 4:30pm - 8:30pm local time
Location: 409 Fairground Street, Columbia, KY 42728
Date: Tuesday, December 10
Time: 4:30pm - 8:30pm local time
Location: 20 North Washington Street, Campton, KY 41301
This week we are featuring the Kentucky Agricultural Development Funds On-Farm Energy Efficiency Incentives Program, the Rural Energy for America Program Grants, and the Kentucky Proud Promotional Program Grants.
This week we are featuring the USDA Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program Grants. If you're interested in applying, check out the three webinars we have shared! These webinars will give you an inside scoop into crafting your grant proposal and government statistics on local food.
This week we are featuring the Kentucky Agricultural Development Funds On-Farm Energy Efficiency Incentives Program, the Rural Energy for America Program Grants, the Kentucky Conservation State Cost Share Program, and the USDA-NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
This week we are featuring the Kentucky Proud: Farm to Fork Grants, Kentucky State University Small Scale farm Grants, and USDA Rural Business Development Grants.
Would you like to learn more about how Kentucky’s agricultural businesses operate and how your classwork applies to real-world business situations? We are looking to hire an intern for the Fall 2019 semester. Click to read more about this excellent opportunity!
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.
