Kentucky State University’s Beginning Farmer training program, Farming for Cash, which is funded by the USDA NIFA BFRDP program, trains beginning farmers to grow a variety of crops that require a modest investment but provides significant returns.  Black plastic mulch, when combined with fertigation, has been shown to produce crops earlier in the season and increase yields. Benefits of using black plastic mulch include increasing the soil temperature, reducing soil evaporation, and reducing weed growth. These benefits could be reaped by beginning farmers using small tracts of land to make a substantial supplementary income.

The Merryman House in Paducah, Kentucky is an advocacy and support center that is devoted to addressing the comprehensive needs of survivors of domestic abuse. Part of their program includes teaching residents new skills through education and demonstration.  Merryman House provided the land for a commercial farmer training program and a farm manager. Farming for Cash team members assisted the farm manager and residents in starting a black plastic demonstration garden during May and June of 2018. Residents are learning how to grow and sell produce crops as a means of earning a supplementary income.