Grow Up! Expanding Kentucky's Regional Produce Market Opportunities

Activity 1. Direct technical support to fruit & vegetable growers to increase capacity and quality of produce grown in Kentucky. Task 1. On-farm face-to-face grower visits and remote support UK HORT, UK PPA (phone, text, email, alerts) to provide production and post-harvest handling recommendations to current and prospective field and protected ag growers at all scales. Task 2. Develop tools, techniques, and practices that growers can KHC, UK HORT, UK PPA, TFC rapidly adopt to field and protected ag production systems. Transfer knowledge that meets the needs of prospective and established produce growers and market intermediaries. Includes a high tunnel production guide and grower self-assessment to determine readiness for large-scale production. Task 3. Support entrepreneurs in crafting business and marketing UK HORT, UK FSIC, KCARD, UK plans, capitalization strategies, and in development of value-added AEC products. Activity 2. Support and promote development of market opportunities for Kentucky produce growers in indirect producer-to-consumer marketing channels. (institution/retail) Task 1. On-farm face-to-face grower visits and remote support TFC, KHC (phone, text, email, alerts) to aid individual growers and multi-farm groups in obtaining Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification to sell produce into institutional or wholesale marketing channels. Task 2. Provide programs that develop market literacy, including in- KHC person and video tours of operations (FL trip/video of produce TFC, KHC, KDA auction) TFC, KHC, KCARD, KDA KHC, APK Task 3. Host farm food safety workshops and other educational events to increase grower knowledge of food safety practices and KHC increase preparedness for new markets. KHC Task 4. Connect GAP-certified growers with potential local and regional buyers. Task 5. Launch aggregation pilot project with new local food aggregator (Alliance Packing KY) to develop wholesale grower playbook. Task 6. Administer grower cost-share program providing financial support to make third-party GAPs audits affordable for growers entering indirect markets and for making changes and upgrades to practices and equipment to improve food safety. Activity 3. KHC Administrative Activities.