The Kentucky State University (KSU) Small Farm Program is an Extension program designed to help farm families with decision-making skills to solve farm and home problems. It includes educational programs that emphasize farm production, farm management, and marketing.  It also includes the use and understanding of local county programs and USDA agencies and their programs, plus providing technical assistance in completing applications for the program and the entire application process.  The KSU Small Farm Program’s Area Agent for Small Farms works with small, limited-resource, and minority farmers, most of whom have not used Extension prior to his intervention.  He targets minority farmers, farmers who are new to Extension, or farmers who think that Extension is not for them.  First he has to gain their confidence.  Then he has to show them that he can help them to meet some of their needs. 

USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance program on April 17, 2020.  On Tuesday, May 19, 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the final details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), and that applications for direct assistance through the program will be accepted beginning Tuesday, May 26, 2020.  CFAP will provide up to $16 billion in direct financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19, and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities. 

This is his experience with farm families that received the Coronavirus Food Assistance program technical assistance information. 

On May 22nd and 29^th, 2020 I emailed two newsletters with information about the Coronavirus Food Assistance program. After emailing the information to farmers I followed up with phone calls to check to see if farmers needed any assistance with completing the Coronavirus Food Assistance program application. Between the period May 22^nd and June 30, 2020 I have notified farmers in Anderson, Franklin, Henry, Boyle, Garrard, Jessamine, Mercer, Madison, Lincoln and Clark Counties to see if they are aware and have signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance program.

As a result of providing this information about the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program it will benefit limited resource minority small farmers in providing direct relief to producers who have suffered losses during the 2020 marketing year due to COVID-19.  

A total of nine limited resource minority farmers will receive an estimate of $ 2000 dollars each for a grand total of 18,000 dollars.