Holiday Recipes
Brent Lackey
KCARD Staff Holiday Recipes: Logan's Pumpkin ...

Take a look at some of the KCARD staff's favorite holiday recipes - such as Logan’s pumpkin roll! And don't forget to give the gift of local this holiday season.

KCARD Staff Holiday Recipes: Logan's Pumpkin Roll
Holiday Recipes
Brent Lackey
KCARD Staff Holiday Recipes: Kati's Ginger ...

Check out some favorite holiday recipes from the KCARD staff! Remember to also give the gift of local this holiday season.

KCARD Staff Holiday Recipes: Kati's Ginger Sorghum Cookies
Transition Planning, Education
Brent Lackey
Planning for the Future: A Starter Guide to ...

Farming is a risky business with significant costs, and one of the most expensive mistakes is failing to plan or oversimplifying the transition of the farm. At its core, successful transition planning boils down to clear, honest communication and planning ahead. When communicating across generations, consider addressing key issues early to build mutual understanding and ensure a smoother transition.

Planning for the Future: A Starter Guide to Farm Transition Planning
Agritourism, Marketing, Education, Business Development
Brent Lackey
How to Host Workshops on Your Farm

A well-hosted class or workshop can be one of the more profitable (and fun!) ways to engage visitors on your farm and offer agritourism opportunities. However, they can be quite labor-intensive and require lots of planning and thoughtfulness. Check out these tips to get you started!

How to Host Workshops on Your Farm
Farmers Markets, Education, KCARD Services
Brent Lackey
Q&A with Terryn Varney, Business ...

KCARD works specifically with farmers markets on a wide range of topics, including where to find funding, how to structure the market, and how to think of the farmers market as a business entity. In this post, Terryn Varney, KCARD Business Development Specialist who specializes in farmers market assistance, answers questions about how and when KCARD can help your farmers market.

Q&A with Terryn Varney, Business Development Specialist: How Does KCARD Work with Farmers Markets?

Federal Funding

,

Behind the Scenes of Applying for Federal Grant Programs

,
Behind the Scenes of Applying for Federal Grant Programs

We’re often asked by farmers and agribusinesses how to apply for federal grant programs, such as the USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (due on May 16). While these grant programs can be a good option for growing agribusinesses to obtain capital, it’s important to understand how much work goes into receiving a grant, even beyond the application itself. Often, applying for federal grants requires 40 to 80 hours of work. Check out these four tips to help prepare you for applying for a federal grant program. 

KCARD Guest Blogger: Farm Service Agency

KCARD Guest Blogger: Farm Service Agency

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. In this post, we are learning about the Farm Service Agency and the programs they administer.

Kentucky Organizations Receive Grant to Supports Veterans Transitioning into Agricultural Careers

Kentucky Organizations Receive Grant to Supports Veterans Transitioning into Agricultural Careers

Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development along with partners Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office, Kentucky Horticulture Council, and University of Kentucky’s Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK) are collaborating on a $746,567 USDA grant to provide educational opportunities for veterans and transitioning service members interested in agriculture, develop a peer-to-peer network for veterans in agriculture, and construct a pathway that facilitates veterans’ entrance into agriculture-related careers. Additional support partners for this grant include the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation, Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs, and Hopkinsville Community College.

,

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.

,

Growing Your Farm and Food Business Webinar Series

,
Growing Your Farm and Food Business Webinar Series

The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD) will be hosting a series of five “Growing Your Farm and Food Business” webinars this October to assist agricultural producers and food businesses with understanding business fundamentals, identifying grant opportunities, and developing a strategy to seek funding. Webinars will take place from 10:00am – 11:30am Eastern/9:00am -10:30am Central and will be available for later viewing.

,

Growing Your Farm and Food Business Workshops

,

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.  

Growing Your Farm and Food Business - Hopkins County

Date: Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Time: 4:30pm - 8:30pm local time

Location: 75 Cornwall Drive, Madisonville, KY 42431

Register Here!

Growing Your Farm and Food Business - Boone County

Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Time: 4:30pm - 8:30pm local time

Location: 6028 Camp Ernst Road, Burlington, KY 41005

Register Here!

Growing Your Farm and Food Business - Adair County

Date: Thursday, November 14, 2019

Time: 4:30pm - 8:30pm local time

Location: 409 Fairground Street, Columbia, KY 42728

Register Here!

Growing Your Farm and Food Business - Wolfe County

Date: Tuesday, December 10

Time: 4:30pm - 8:30pm local time

Location: 20 North Washington Street, Campton, KY 41301

Register Here!

Are You Eligible for the USDA Value Added Producer Grant?

The Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) provides planning funds or working capital to farmers who are adding value to their agricultural products. The program generally requires a business plan and pro forma financials to score well, so starting early is a must. Below is a quick guide to help you determine if VAPG is the right fit for your business. Contact KCARD, at (859) 550-3972 or via email at kcard@kcard.info.

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