market growth

KCARD Guest Blogger: US Department of Agriculture Rural Development

KCARD Guest Blogger: US Department of Agriculture Rural Development

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be showcasing partners in our Growing Your Farm and Food Business Webinar series. These partners provide funding opportunities to Kentucky’s agricultural producers and agribusinesses. The USDA Rural Development Office is an important partner in KCARD’s work as we apply for funding from their office to continue our work with Kentucky’s producers and rural and agribusinesses but also because they offer a wealth of programs to Kentucky’s rural businesses. In this post, we are learning about the USDA Rural Development and the programs they administer.

Email Marketing 201: Expanding Your Reach with Email

Email Marketing 201: Expanding Your Reach with Email

Today our inboxes are flooded with email marketing campaigns, some feeling spammy, but there is no denying the impact a well-crafted message can have on your customers. Email marketing has one of the best return on investment, for every dollar spent over $40 is returned, on average. In our previous Email Marketing 101 post, we talked about what email marketing is and some quick tips to get started. In this post, we’ve put together a few tips to help you expand your knowledge in email marketing and continue to increase your return.

Direct to Consumer Meat Business Resources

Direct to Consumer Meat Business Resources

If you are new to direct meat sales and have just read our blog posts about having your meat processed for the first time and pricing your meat for profit, we’ve pulled together some more resources for you to explore.

New Methods of Accepting Payments Online

New Methods of Accepting Payments Online

The name of the game these days is social distance. So how do you accept payments from customers without getting closer than six feet or having to handle cash? Digital wallets are financial accounts that allow users to store funds, make transactions, and track payment histories by computer or phone. Here are some of the most popular options that will allow you to take payments without having to get a credit card reader (and some that connect with Square).

Q&A with KCARD: What's Up with My Markets?

Q&A with KCARD: What's Up with My Markets?

Consumer buying habits are rapidly changing.  Restaurants are only open for carry out and delivery while many schools are implementing meal drop off programs.  No one knows exactly what will happen, but as COVID-19 updates come in, remember the following when it comes to your markets.

Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program Webinars

Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program Webinars

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.