Success Stories By MajorProgram FY2025Jul 1, 2024 - Jun 30, 2025
County Ag Improvement Program
Author: Dee Heimgartner
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - ANR
Describe the Issue or Situation.Crittenden County Ag Development Board voted to use $45,557 of county funds for a proposal from Crittenden Conservation District to run a County Agriculture Investment Program (CAIP).Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).The program was conducted by Crittenden County Conservation District using funds from KY Office of Ag Policy. The program was open to any agriculture producer in the county regardless of farm size. Cri
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West 8 Drone Field Day
Author: Tyler London
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - ANR
Agents in the West 8 area noticed many farmers' lack of willingness to incorporate new technology into their farming operations. One technology that has become very popular in recent years is drones. Drones are becoming a huge part of the agricultural industry. With that being said, many farmers are reluctant to use them because they're "new" or "this is how I've always done it", or simply because it is perceived to be expensive and unaffordable. Agents from
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Celebrating Agriculture 2024: A Growing Legacy
Author: Benjamin Rudy
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - ANR

With a staggering $1 billion impact and $359,967,000 in products sold across 960 farms, WAVE AG Day 2024 once again spotlighted the vital role of agriculture in Ballard, Carlisle, Fulton, and Hickman Counties. Held for the seventh year, the event took place on August 1 at Columbus Belmont State Park, running from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM. The familiar theme, "Let’s Grow With It," continued to inspire the agricultural community.Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and
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Beginning Farmer Series
Author: Jessica Barnes
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - ANR
Beginning Farmer Series Impact StatementIssue or SituationMany beginning farmers face challenges in developing a business plan, understanding funding opportunities, and designing an efficient farm layout. To address these challenges, the Harrison County Extension Office developed an educational series to provide essential knowledge and resources to support new and aspiring farmers.Outreach or Educational Program ResponseThe Beginning Farmer Series was held at the Harrison County Extension Office
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Estate Planning
Author: Kara Back-Campbell
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - ANR
An extension leader requested a series to provide a checklist of how each spouse can financially prepare for the death of the other. Guest speakers who represented each member of your financial team spoke about what couples should do to prepare.228 participants total attended the 3 sessions.On the second session 1.8K watched the Facebook live.Evaluations were collected after each session with positive feedback.
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Marketing for All 3.0: Helping Local Farms Strengthen Their Business
Author: Gretchen Plocek
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - ANR
The state of Kentucky boasts the existence of around 69,425 farms with a net farm cash income of $2.4 billion dollars. In Oldham County, the number of farms contributing to the statewide accounts are 410 family farms with an average acreage of 136 and a net farm income of $6,868 according to the last agriculture census from the USDA. While there is no dividing definition between small commercial farms and small family farms, Oldham County contains a plethora of small farms according to USDA guid
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How to Start a Food Business WATCH PARTY
Author: Von Barnes
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - ANR
The Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Office on Gardiner View buzzed with energy as a group of enthusiastic individuals gathered for a watch party focused on "How to Start a Food Business." This wasn't just about passively watching regional food presentations; it was an opportunity for local aspiring food entrepreneurs to connect, learn, and get support tailored to the Kentucky food landscape regarding policies and processes for getting started producing goods for market.Despi
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Beginning Producer Series
Author: Bryce Roberts
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - ANR
Beginning farmers, market gardeners, and new landowners in Bullitt and Spencer Counties often face overwhelming challenges when starting out. To support the growing number of beginning farmers, market gardeners, and landowners in Bullitt and Spencer Counties, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service in both counties collaborated to offer a year-round educational series. In 2024 and 2025, the series included:- December 2024: R
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Institutional Purchasing Contract Prioritizes Kentucky Farm Food
Author: Ashton Potter
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - ANR
Contractual commitments to purchase Kentucky farm impact foods are few and far between. The University of Kentucky’s Dining contract with Aramark is incredibly unique in that it outlines specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) around Kentucky farm and food business impact spend. The Food Connection was established as a part of the public-private partnership between The University of Kentucky in an effort to support UK Dining/Aramark cultivate local food supply chains to meet their
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