The USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program is a cornerstone for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers who wish to diversify their operations and expand their value-added products. For the current 2025 cycle and future cycles, there are some significant changes that you need to know if you’re interested in applying.
Learn about opportunities and challenges for the Kentucky dairy industry in this guest blog post from our friends at the Center for Crop Diversification!
As we enter the new year, many people will begin to look back at their records from 2024 to analyze their financial position and begin to prepare for the upcoming tax season. If you have an effective and efficient recordkeeping system, this process can be smooth and straightforward. Check out these tips to improve your recordkeeping system in 2025!
Businesses registered with the Secretary of State (such as LLCs or corporations) are now required to report Beneficial Ownership Information. As of December 26, 2024, the deadline for BOI filing has been suspended until further notice. However, the report is expected to be required in the future. We recommend voluntarily completing the report to avoid having to monitor future deadline updates.
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.
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 Kentucky State University and the assistance they provide.
James Barrett, KCARD’s grant facilitator, took some time to answer a few questions about himself and KCARD’s Agribusiness Grant Facilitation Program.
The Kentucky Horticulture Council (KHC) is another great resource available to Kentucky producers. KHC provides resources for information and education for growers, business owners, and the public to promote a thriving horticulture industry. In this guest post by Executive Director Cindy Finneseth, KHC discusses how to be prepared and creative this fall agritourism season.
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.
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.
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.
We’re hiring! KCARD has two openings for individuals to work with agricultural and rural-based businesses seeking KCARD assistance. These positions will be designated as either Business Development Assistant or Specialist depending on the level of experience and expertise. One of the positions will have an emphasis on helping businesses with marketing needs and will also handle KCARD communications.
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.
Consumer trends changed drastically when the coronavirus hit. You probably have customers who never thought of purchasing local until it became a necessity. While stores, restaurants, and other businesses are opening back up, many consumer trends are sticking around. Keeping those new customers around will be key for sustaining the growth your business has had the past six months. So how do you keep your new customer coming back again and again? Here are five tips to keep your customers.
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 Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy and the programs they administer.
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.
