A Collaborative Training Approach for Kentucky's Military Veteran, Underserved and Rural Beginning Farmers

The goal for this project is to bring military veterans and underserved limited resource populations in Kentucky and surrounding areas a realistic plan for becoming a farmer with a sustainable product and income. The project will recruit from KY military bases, Fort Knox and Fort Campbell, and National Guard posts. Help will be enlisted from the VFW, American Legion and other veteran organizations in order to contact as many veteran participants as possible. For the non-military populations contact will be made through the state’s 120 county extension offices, local technical schools and county agencies that assist the underserved, limited resource populations in their area by utilizing county mailing lists, newsletters, radio and TV media. The educational classes for business management, including writing a business plan, informational classes on products that are successful in their area and financial options open to them, grants, low cost loans, etc. Sites for these educational and informational workshops will be held in three locations though out the state to make travel to these easier. Farm specialists will provide technical assistance on specific areas of farming for example livestock, grains, forestry, etc. This will target the classes to topography, soil conditions and marketing available in the area. Workshops will be presented where the greatest concentration of military veterans and limited resource farmers are located. Smaller workshops will be held at working farms within these areas. Mentors will be enlisted to help the participants become successful and able to sustain the productivity of the farm.