Outcomes and Progress

Program Area and Participants/Training Documents

Over a 12-month period, the project will provide technical assistance and needs-based personal outreach services to at least 100 members of SDGs from Kentucky’s 41 rural counties with higher proportions of these SDG individuals that are underserved by USDA programs.

The expected outcomes of the project are:
• increased knowledge about and participation in USDA programs,
• increased networking of SDGs for farm inputs to purchase, share, and market of farm products;
• increased interests in forming cooperatives;
• increased interests in value-added products, niche markets, ethnic markets, and exotic and medicinal fruits/vegetable production;
• increased use of online information and mobile apps for records keeping, resources profiling, financial management, enterprise budgeting, and business planning.
This project will:
• involve more SDG individuals in participatory decision making and in mentoring to other SDG individuals in their vicinity;
• develop positive attitudes toward cooperative development; and
• participate more in national to community level meetings and decision making process.
It is anticipated that the project increase SDG self-confidence, understanding legislation related to farming and participation in the legislative process, as well as efficient use and increased retention of farmers and diversification of farmlands for sustainable farm income.

This project is supported by USDA/RD Grant number 20-037-646489357.