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 contractual obligations and to serve as an example to other institutions in the state, and beyond, on how to leverage institutional purchasing to support local food economies. 

The Food Connection reached out to Kentucky Sate University leadership in 2024 when I learned that KSU would be doing a request for proposals (RFP) for a dining partner in the near future.  I met with KSU to encourage them to include language in their RFP and in their final contract with their dining partner similar to the contractual language around local purchasing that we have in our contract at UK. I continued to follow up to encourage them to make sure the specific Kentucky farm and food business KPIs made it into the final contract. 

In May of 2025, the new food service provider for KSU reached out to me to let me know they were awarded the contract and wanted to replicate what we were doing at UK at KSU. I had an initial call to share our lessons learned and start to lay the groundwork for getting KSU’s dining partner connected with Kentucky farmers and local distributors who carry Kentucky farm impact products. In early June I met in person with the dining partner to share specific opportunities for meeting their contractual obligation to source Kentucky farm food and for connecting with specific famers and distributors.

This contract will have a significant impact on Kentucky farms and food businesses. Contractual commitments to purchase from farmers are key drivers in sustaining and scaling farms and food businesses. The Food Connection will continue to support KSU’s dining partner in their contractual commitment to source from Kentucky farmers and provide technical assistance and support as they review and report on their KPIs. The Food Connection will also continue to encourage other institutions across the Commonwealth to include local purchasing commitments in their food service contracts.

KSU included the following language in their dining services contract:

Contractor and KSU shall set as a goal a total Kentucky Farm Impact and Kentucky Food Business Impact of twenty percent (20%) and to increase purchases by three percent (3%) each Contract Year.  

For purposes of this Contract, Kentucky Farm Impact purchases meet the requirements of either of the two categories below: 

(1) Majority or Direct Kentucky Farm Source:

The food product or the primary ingredient is sourced exclusively or predominantly (>50%) from Kentucky farms. For this category, specific farm sources can be identified, though they may be co-mingled.  

(2) Mixed or Indirect Kentucky Farm Source:

It can be reasonably concluded that more than 10% but less than 50% of the principal ingredient or total ingredients of the food was/were sourced from Kentucky Farms. For this category, specific farm sources are not tracked and cannot be identified. 

For the purposes of this Contract, Kentucky Food Business Impact shall mean purchases that do not meet the requirements for either of the two categories below: 

(1) Kentucky Food Business/Entrepreneur:

Vendor of the product is a food grower, processor, or value-adding enterprise operating primarily in Kentucky, and the owner or the majority of the owners of the enterprise is/are Kentucky residents. 

(2) Kentucky Located Food Processor:

The food processor adds significant value to the food product through Kentucky operations, beyond aggregation, transportation or distribution, but the food processor is not owned or controlled by Kentucky residents. 

Monthly reports shall include the total dollar amount of campus food and beverage purchases. In addition, within thirty (30) days of the end of each Contract Year, Contractor shall provide KSU with an annual report showing Kentucky Proud and Kentucky-sourced purchases and products. The annual report will also include the total dollar amount of campus food and beverage purchases.