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.
This week we are featuring the Rural Energy for America Program Grants that are due soon and the new Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) that was established in the farm bill. The LAMP program will provide permanent funding for the Value-Added Producer Grants, and the Farmers Market & Local Food Promotion Grants which is great news for farmers and agribusinesses in Kentucky.
This week we are featuring the Kentucky Conservation State Cost Share Program, the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service's Environmental Quality Incentives (EQIP) Program, and the Kentucky Proud Promotional Grant Program. Please check out more information about each program below.
This week we are featuring the Kentucky State University's Small Scale Farm Grant Program, and Community Farm Alliance's Farmers Market Support Program which offers a Kentucky Double Dollars cost share and a farmers market manager cost share. Please check out more information about each program below.
Is it time? If you have been a one-man or one-woman shop and haven’t made a hire yet, what are the questions you should ask yourself before making that hire? Check out this post from KCARD staff on the questions they pose to businesses considering this step.
Farmers, are you interested in selling to your local schools next season? If so the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is offering a mini-grant to help expand Farm to School sales. The Kentucky Farm to School: Producer Engagement Grants are due on December 14, so if you are interested you need to act fast!
You never have to look far for a great gift during the holiday season! This holiday season, the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development is showcasing products of producers and agribusinesses on Facebook and Twitter beginning November 26th through December 21st.
Would you like to learn more about how Kentucky’s agricultural businesses operate and how your classwork applies to real-world business situations?
The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD) is currently searching for a college junior, senior, or graduate student majoring in Agricultural Economics to serve as a paid intern for summer 2019.
KCARD is often contacted by individuals and groups that have a business idea and are interested in forming a cooperative. A cooperative can be a great choice and we help people form cooperatives all the time, but many times the cooperative business structure is misunderstood and people have the wrong idea about what a cooperative is and when it is the right business structure.
Our 2018 Grant Workshop season is about to begin. KCARD's Agribusiness Grant Facilitation Program will be hosting five Grant Workshops this season. The workshops will cover a broad range of funding opportunities for farmers, agribusinesses, and non-profits that support agriculture in Kentucky.
Facebook – it’s one of the best free tools you have to promote your market and reach current and new customers. It’s also constantly changing. In 2018, Facebook changed their algorithm used to show posts on users’ news feeds to make it more community oriented. With the new changes, how can you bring awareness to your market while promoting content? Leverage Facebook’s post boosts, ads, and the ability to go live to help you reach audiences that might not be aware of your market and help “advertise” your market to new customers.
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.
