This agent has worked with a Barren County KY farmer in cooperation with Kentucky State University’s (KSU) Small Farm Program. Initially we will work with this farmer in order to explain and introduce this farmer to land owners needing a tenant-farmer agreement to produce profit on-farm.  The tenant-farmer has lived in the West End of Louisville, KY for over 20 years.  Fast forward to today and having returned to the farm, this farmer has not ever owned land but wishes to farm and obtain profits; the farmer has partnered with KSU Area Agents on the Small Farm Program to connect with limited-resourced landowners that wish to increase profit on their lands.  The relationships could prove to be profitable as the landowner needs “retirement income” and the tenant farmer wishes to obtain a seasonal profit.The farmer and KSU Area Agents are in the process of making deals to lease lands for production agriculture.  KSU Area Agents will be involved on a technical assistance basis to inform both partners in the proper “steps 1-10” of Small Commercial Vegetable (SCV) agriculture. This agent will continue to work with the Barren County farmer to generate the outcome of sufficient SCV production.

Five Part Version

Situation

The current Farmer is limited-resourced, socially disadvantaged, and needing assistance to find “helpers” or “leasees” that will work her fallow land.  The KSU Area Agent is working on putting together a relationship of the landowner and the operator.

Partnership

The Kentucky State University Small Farm Agent has worked with the landowner and the operator to assess the ability to turn a profit on select agricultural enterprises; Small Commercial Vegetable (SCV).

Target Audience

Landowner and the Operator The farmer will have a better understanding of the USDA and its agencies, Kentucky State University and its programming, and local agricultural entities leading to the use of information to turn expenditures into enterprise profits.  

Outcomes

The participant will have a better understanding of the USDA and its agencies; and through cause and effect the symbiotic relationships will be evident.  The total outcome will be a funded on-farm demonstration project that allows the farmer participant enough funding to increase the profitability of the landowner’s assets.  While working with the university the outcome will be to illustrate a SCV system that is weed free, possesses reduced labor on-farm, and exhibits the ability to return a profit over the investment.