Local Food SystemsPlan of Work

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Warren County CES

Title:
Local Food Systems
MAP:
Increasing Agriculture Awareness & Profitability
Agents Involved:
Joanna Coles & Kristin Hildabrand
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Local Food System Development and Mapping
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Farmer's Markets
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Ag Marketing
Situation:

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 $24 million 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.

Long-Term Outcomes:

•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

•Strong and diverse local food systems are integrated into community development efforts.

•Maintain or increase consumer confidence/ demand in local foods

Intermediate Outcomes:

•Certifications Earn certification(s) for:

oRedeeming USDA script (i.e. WIC or Senior Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program)

oselling and /or providing samples at farmer’s markets

oHome Based Micro-processing

oMicro-processing

oUSDA GAP

•Choose local food products when available

•Purchase local food and food products

Amend purchasing procedure to accommodate local food purchasing

Initial Outcomes:

•Increased awareness among general public, increased access to "local" foods; Communities begin listening sessions to discuss their goals in local foods; local land use and other policies supportive of new food initiatives

•Interpret food safety handling procedures

•Understand procedures for safe food processing

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increased knowledge of local foods through access and handling

Indicator: Participation in educational training as well as an increase in consumers at the local farmers markets.

Method: Observation, participation logs

Timeline: July 2017 - June 2020



Intermediate Outcome: Increase in producer certifications and utilization of alternative funds for local produce.

Indicator: Increase in revenue by alternative funds and the amount of certifications received.

Method: Observation, participation logs, survey

Timeline: July 2016 - June 2020



Long-Term Outcome: Increased revenue for local producers; increasing the number of consumer and businesses purchasing local foods.

Indicators: Number of producers increasing revenue and amount of product sold.

Method: Observation, Word of Mouth and Survey


Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Commercial Producers

Project or Activity: Home-based Micro-Processing

Content or Curriculum: Micro-Processing

Inputs: Materials, meeting rooms, test graders

Date: Spring 2020


Audience: Commercial horticulture food producers & market growers 

Project or Activity: Senior Farmers Market Trainings

Content or Curriculum: Seniors Farmers market curriculum from KDA

Inputs: Handout materials, meeting rooms

Date: Ongoing throughout the year


Audience: Commercial & sustainable horticulture market gardeners 

Project or Activity: Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)

Content or Curriculum: GAP curriculum from KDA & KY Div. of Public Health

Inputs: Handout materials, meeting rooms

Date: Ongoing throughout the year


Audience: Farmers and Consumers

Project or Activity: Farmer’s Market

Content or Curriculum: Commercial vegetable gardening

Inputs: Speakers, material

Date: Throughout the year


Audience: Low Income Senior Citizens & Adults, Adults & School Aged Youth

Project or Activity: Taste of the Farmers Market

Content or Curriculum: KY Proud Recipe Cards, Food Stamp Nutrition Education,

Nutrition Education Calendars

Inputs: Agent’s Time, Staff Assistant’s Time, table, serving products, recipe cards,

produce

Date: Summer 2020


Audience: Consumers

Project or Activity: KY Farms KY Flavors

Content or Curriculum: Meet the Farmer & Commodity

Inputs: Agent’s Time, Staff Assistant’s Time, YouTube

Date: Ongoing


Audience: Food Entrepreneurs

Project or Activity: Community Kitchen Development & Technical Assistance

Content or Curriculum: Feasibility Study, Workshops on Food Entrepreneurship

Inputs: Agent’s Time, Staff Assistant’s Time, Partnerships in Food

Date: Ongoing





Success Stories

Increased Farm Sales through Kentucky Farms, Kentucky Flavor

Author: Joanna Coles

Major Program: Local Food Systems

The Kentucky Farms, Kentucky Flavor (KYF2) Project is funded by the USDA Specialty Crop Grant in partnership with SOKY Marketplace.  The goal of the project is to increase the sale and consumption of specialty crops in South Central Kentucky. Promotional and educational videos were developed highlighting farmers, where to access crops and how to incorporate them into healthy meals.Each farm highlighted received $4050 worth of earned media from the promotion that reached over 56,000 individu

Full Story

Strengthening the Regional Food Economy of South Central Kentucky

Author: Joanna Coles

Major Program: Local Food Systems

The SoKY Marketplace, Warren County Fiscal Court, Warren County Cooperative Extension Office, and other community partners are working together to promote agriculturally related businesses, create jobs, improve access to healthy locally grown specialty commodities, and provide educational classes to strengthen the regional food economy of Southcentral Kentucky. These organizations have worked together to successfully launch a downtown weekend farmers market, weekday consignment farmers market, a

Full Story

SOKY Marketplace

Author: Kristin Hildabrand

Major Program: Farmer's Markets

The SoKY Marketplace, Warren County Fiscal Court, Warren County Cooperative Extension Office, and other community partners are working together to promote agriculturally related businesses, create jobs, improve access to healthy locally grown specialty crop commodities, and provide educational classes to strengthen the regional food economy of Southcentral Kentucky. These organizations have worked together to successfully launch a downtown weekend farmers market, weekday consignment farmers mark

Full Story
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