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 month, we spoke with Juan Alejo about his internship with Fox Creek Cattle Company through the Boots to Agriculture Internship. KCARD assists with this internship as part of the Kentucky AgVets Program, which helps veterans and transitioning service members who are interested in agriculture access resources, internships, and educational opportunities.
In order to diversify and increase profits, many farms are adding value-added products to their lists of offerings. For produce farmers, “value-added” refers to processing their fruits and vegetables into another product of higher value, such as jam, salsa, or pre-cut/ready-to-cook vegetables. While this can help bring extra revenue to the farm, it’s important to consider the extra time and money that will go into launching a new value-added product. If you’re thinking about introducing value-added products, start by considering these questions.
Your online presence is a key part of your marketing plan. You can use your social media pages to build your brand awareness, develop relationships with customers, and even to make sales. Though each social media network is different and has a specific algorithm, here are three tips to maximize your social media presence across your platforms.
Nestled in between the small towns of Tompkinsville and Gamaliel in southcentral Kentucky, Patterson’s Butcher Shop is a recently opened custom processing business and meat retail store owned by Jorden Patterson Emmert. They offer custom slaughter and a wide variety of retail cuts, including beef, pork, lamb, goat, and ready to cook meals.
Many KCARD clients sell their products at their local farmers markets, so we've compiled some tips to help you have the best possible experience when visiting the farmers market. Remember that when you shop at your local farmers market, you are paying for a fresher, tastier product that benefits your local economy by keeping every food dollar local.
In May 2020, KCARD launched the Kentucky Local Food System Expansion Initiative through support from an USDA Local Food Promotion Program grant. The goal of the Initiative is to increase local food sales for Kentucky producers by developing sales connections with buyers such as retail stores, institutions, restaurants, schools, and distributors. At 24 months into the Initiative, we wanted to provide a quick glimpse at producers who have been assisted thus far.
We get asked all the time how to get “free money” in the form of grants for on-farm projects. The answer is pretty simple: there is no free money. While grants can be a helpful way to fund worthwhile projects on the farm, there is a lot of work that goes into receiving a grant. In this post, we discuss some of the key steps of the grant application process.
Are you interested in serving as a mentor for the Kentucky AgVets Program or have an interest in participating in the program as a veteran? Mentorships will be designed to provide hands-on training and develop a network for veterans looking to start their career in agriculture.
Some of our growing clients get to a point where they feel like financial documents and planning are taking away from their time developing new customer relationships or managing other aspects of the growing business, so they start thinking about contracting that component of the business out. In this post, we discuss some things to consider when finding an accountant for your business.
KCARD provides a lot of different services, but key to each one is our mission of Business Development for Kentucky farmers and agricultural businesses. While some businesses may not see the need for a business plan, here are three reasons that smart businesses put time into business planning.
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.
