A strong local food system is important to Kentucky. It supports local farmers, provides fresher nutritious food items, and strengthens the economy. The Laurel County local food system includes the farmers market, food pantry, school, restaurants, and local businesses.

Farmers, processors, and entrepreneurs are required to follow state and federal regulations when offering food samples, processing, and selling food items. The University of Kentucky, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and the U. S. Department of Agriculture work together to ensure that the food is safe. They partner in conducting workshops, demonstrations, certification programs, and farm audits to insure proper handling and processing of food. The Produce Best Practices Training or PBPT is conducted for Laurel County Farmers Market Vendors and producers participating in produce auction markets by the Laurel County Horticulture Agent.  Home based and Micro processing educational programs are also conducted in collaboration with the Family Consumer Sciences Agent   

Local restaurants and tourist attractions feature locally produced food on their menu. During the past year, Laurel County has added new locally owned and operated niche restaurants who have contacted the Laurel County Extension Office for help sourcing locally grown agricultural products including, produce, meat, cheese, herbs, and foraged items such as mushroom, wild greens.  A farm to table database is being created to assist in making connections between chefs, direct end consumers and agriculture producers.  We used social media, newspaper, and newsletters asking for producer contact information along with a sample of the ever-growing list of requested products. The data base is a continually changing fluid list and will be updated and given out as requested.