Financial, KCARD Services, Recordkeeping
Brent Lackey
Planning for Profit: The Power of Sales ...

Farming comes with constant uncertainty—but tools like sales forecasting and enterprise budgeting can help you make smarter decisions, manage risk, and boost your farm’s profitability. Whether you're growing vegetables, raising livestock, or running a diversified operation, these tools provide the financial clarity to plan with confidence. Want to learn how to apply them to your business? Read the full blog post to explore practical tips, real-world examples, and free resources to get started.

Planning for Profit: The Power of Sales Forecasts and Enterprise Budgets
Financial, Education, Recordkeeping
Brent Lackey
Farming by the Numbers: Using the Farm Finance ...

As we wrap up Financial Literacy Month, it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at your farm’s financial health. In today’s ag landscape, success means tracking more than just yields—you need the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to guide decisions, plan ahead, and stay financially strong. In this blog post, we discuss how to use KPIs and the Farm Finance Scorecard to understand your numbers and what they mean for your business.

Farming by the Numbers: Using the Farm Finance Scorecard to Measure Performance
Financial, Guest Blog, Recordkeeping
Brent Lackey
Tax Time for Farmers

Tax season doesn't have to be stressful — with the right approach, it can be a year-round strategy that sets you up for success. In our latest blog, the UK Department of Agricultural Economics break down essential tax tips, key filing updates, and smart planning strategies for farmers and small business owners, including disaster-related extensions for Kentucky, new 1099-K rules, and options for livestock sales and asset depreciation. Stay organized, stay ahead, and start building a smoother path to your future tax filings today!

Tax Time for Farmers
Financial, Education, Business Development, Recordkeeping
Brent Lackey
Understanding Your Financial Health: Advanced ...

As we gear up for the 2025 season, effective recordkeeping is key to understanding your business's financial health and driving growth. This blog explores advanced methods, from cloud-based software to industry-specific tools, to help you track finances, analyze key metrics, and make informed decisions. Mastering recordkeeping will set your business up for success in the year ahead.

In case you missed it, check out our Recordkeeping 101 blog post to get caught up on this series.

Understanding Your Financial Health: Advanced Recordkeeping Tips for 2025
Education, Financial, Marketing
Brent Lackey
Farmers Market Pricing Strategies: Balancing ...

Struggling to price your products at the farmers market? It’s a balancing act between attracting customers and ensuring profitability. From calculating your costs to understanding market trends and perceived value, this post breaks down key steps to help you set the perfect price. Ready to optimize your pricing strategy? Read on for tips that will boost your sales and sustain your business!

Farmers Market Pricing Strategies: Balancing Customer Appeal and Profitability

Q&A with KCARD: Turning New Customers into Regulars

Q&A with KCARD: Turning New Customers into Regulars

If you’re in the business of selling local food right now, you might be in a unique situation with an uptick in sales and an increase in new customers. We are hearing from businesses that they are getting orders from folks who have never purchased food anywhere other than the grocery store, who suddenly want to buy in bulk from a local farmer. New customers can be a lot of work. You can spend a lot of time and energy patiently giving answers to endless questions. Here are 3 tips on how to turn a new customer into a regular.

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Q&A with KCARD: Covid-19 and Your Farmers Market

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Q&A with KCARD: Covid-19 and Your Farmers Market

Farmers markets must get innovative in the way they provide food access to their customers while keeping in line with social distancing requirements during this time. Consider the restraints of your market and what is feasible for your market. We encourage you to check out the resources put out by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Community Farm Alliance for markets across the state.

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.

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Q&A with KCARD: Online Ordering Options

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Q&A with KCARD: Online Ordering Options

Selling online can be a great opportunity for businesses to make up for lower in-person sales, pre-order products for quick pickup or delivery, and increase customer base to those who might not attend markets. Choose an online ordering service that meets your needs and works with the systems you already have.  Check out five online ordering options we have seen clients use.

Q&A with KCARD: Offering Gift Cards

Q&A with KCARD: Offering Gift Cards

People are requesting gift certificates to help support local farms and local food businesses. Offering gifts cards is a great way to let people support you during this time of crisis. So how do you set that up? It depends on how you take payment now, but you have some options…

Q&A with KCARD: Talking to Your Employees

Q&A with KCARD: Talking to Your Employees

Question: I’m still not sure how COVID-19 is going to affect my farm business. I have 5 employees and I don’t know what to tell them if anything. What do I tell my employees?

Your employees already know this is not a normal spring season. Clearly communicating your plans and decisions will help them avoid assuming the worst and enable them to plan for the coming weeks.

Q&A with KCARD: Managing Cash Flow During a Crisis

Q&A with KCARD: Managing Cash Flow During a Crisis

Question: How do I manage cash flow when I’m concerned about the effect of reduced travel/walk-in traffic on my business?

Answer:  The next two weeks and the next two months are going to be critical for many small businesses as we all figure out what the eventual impact will be. Click to read about a few rules of thumb for businesses.

Coronavirus and the Small Business – What Do You Do?

Coronavirus and the Small Business – What Do You Do?

Coronavirus is a new challenge to our healthcare system and all of us are learning as we go. However, good practices on crisis management apply here just like they do with other crises. KCARD will be providing additional Q&A posts about how to handle the specific problems we are hearing from businesses with whom we work with, so stay tuned.

About KCARD

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.

Contact Us

411 Ring Road
Elizabethtown, KY 42701

p: (859) 550-3972
f: (888) 319-4962

kcard@kcard.info