Extension
It Starts With Us
Consumers, Restaurants, Institutions-Local Food Systems
Local Food Systems
Tackett, Denniston
Home & Consumer Horticulture
Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
Commercial Horticulture
Commercial Horticulture - Crop Marketing
Local food continues to be in demand from consumers, restaurants, retail outlets and institutions (including schools). It is anticipated that sales of Kentucky food products will grow from $14 million in 2014 to $24million in 2020. Consumers and contract buyers lack year round safe access to locally produced and/or processed foods. Extension serves as resource to provide training to insure locally grown food is safe, appropriate to meet local food demand, and meets purchasing compliance.
Nutrition Education Programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars; communities to decrease hunger; and local food assistance programs to educate recipients on healthy and safe food preparation methods. Agents, paraprofessionals and volunteers are pivotal in influencing policies, systems, and environments and in training consumers and producers to maximize local access to food products from farm to table.
Kentucky adult obesity ranks among the 10 highest in the US
Kentucky adults rank among the 10 highest for poor consumption of fruits and vegetables in the US
Kentucky youth rank among the 10 highest for obesity in the US
Kentucky ranks among the lowest for attempts to breast feed and duration of breastfeeding
Increase in the number of vendors, variety of local food products, sales and/or profits at farmer’s markets, road side stands, or community supported agriculture
Increase access to local foods in restaurants, retail outlets, school and other institutions
Maintain or increase consumer confidence/ demand in local foods
Maintain or increase economic stability of farm operations.
Kentucky population will increase average fruit and vegetable consumption by 1 or more servings per day
More new mothers attempt to breast feed their babies and increase duration of breastfeeding to six weeks or more
Kentuckians improve food management skills and healthy eating habits
Youth will be food secure when school is not in session
People accessing emergency food sources will select from nutrient dense items
Applied Extension Resources for Planning and Decision Making
•Apply best management practices in marketing
•Apply food safety practices and/or procedures
Earn certification(s) for:
•Redeeming USDA script
•selling and /or providing samples at farmer’s markets
•Microprocessing
•Better Process Control School
•USDA GAP
Created and marketed safe food products
•Apply food safety practices
•Create value added agricultural food items
•Market agricultural products locally
Choose local food products when available
•Purchase local food and food products
•Advocate for local food producers (i.e. feature on menus)
•Amend purchasing procedure to accommodate local food purchasing
Number who:
Access more local foods
Redeem Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program benefit.
Plant, harvest and preserve produce
Apply improved food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and healthy eating habits
Number of:
New mothers utilize community services to support breastfeeding, such as WIC breast pump services
Workplaces and other organizations adopt policies supporting new mothers’ attempts to breastfeed
Youth who access other food sources when not in school
Households accessing emergency food sources
Contract buyers/ Consumers
•Identify/ locate local food producers and processors
•Explain local food needs and purchasing procedures (i.e. quantity, quality, deliver, etc.)
Understand the importance of sustainable local agriculture to individual health and financial well-being
Learn to grow, prepare and preserve food
Learn to incorporate unfamiliar foods or foods not currently eaten into a healthy diet
New mothers and those who support them increase knowledge about the health and economic benefits of breastfeeding
Increase knowledge and understanding of healthy eating, food safety and food resource management
Learn about community support services to increase food security
Initial Outcome:
-local food producers are aware of local food buyers
-local food producers are aware of quality, quantity issues necessary to sell to local food buyers
-local food buyers become aware of local food producers
Indicator:
-increase in awareness between local food producers and buyers
Method: pre/post meeting evaluations, follow up individual meetings
Timeline: 2017-2020
Intermediate Outcome: More consumption of local nutritious foods
Indicator: Number of individuals more likely to buy a Kentucky fruit or vegetable as a result of tasting a Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud recipe sample
Method: Pre, post tests and follow up surveys
Timeline: Summer 2017 thru 2020
Long-term Outcome: Apply skills of food resource management, food safety, and food prepartion to afford healthy, nutritious food choices.
Indicator:
Method: Pre and Post Tests and Follow up evaluations
Timeline: Summer 2017 thru 2020
Audience: Limited resource individuals and families
Project or Activity: Sampling at Schools and Farmers Markets
Content or Curriculum: Plate it Up! Kentucky Proud
Inputs: Kentucky Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists and volunteers; Kentucky CES publications and resources;local, state and federal partners; NEP;KDE
Date: Summer 2018 thru 2020
Audience: Interested Community members
Project or Activity: First Time Farmer's Market Users
Content or Curriculum: Develop activities to explain nutritional advantages of fresh produce as well as food prepartion of fresh produce. After developming relationship with the clients set up a First Timers Day at the Farmer's Market to overcome the intemidation of the selection and purchasing process
Inputs: FCS Agent and SNAP Assistant
Date: Summer 2018 thru 2020
Audience: Ten, eleven, twelve year olds
Project or Activity: Food Preparation for youth
Content or Curriculum: Super Star Chef
Inputs: KY Coop Extension Service program assistant and volunteers
Date: Summers 2017,2018,2019,2020
