Kentucky State University recently received a grant for nearly $350,000 to help farmers improve water quality.

Kentucky State University recently received $349,781.50 from the USDA for a grant titled, “Helping Small-Scale and Socially Disadvantaged Growers in Improving Water Quality to Ensure Food Safety of Produce for Consumers and Increased Sales.” 

More than 75 percent of Kentucky farmers have sales of less than $25,000 per year, meaning they are not required to implement the Produce Safety Rule of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). However, improving water quality would increase produce sales for these farmers, such as at farmers markets. Helping small farmers improve water quality to be FSMA compliant and possibly GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) certified is the primary objective of this program.

Dr. Avinash Topè, who is the principal investigator of the program, will collaborate with the Kentucky State University Small-Scale Farm Grant Program, the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Organic Association of Kentucky, the Kentucky Horticulture Council, Appalachian Groundswell, and LaRue County Conservation District, as well as other organizations that work with small-scale and socially disadvantaged farmers.

The grant funding is for the next three years, and the program will educate 2,000 growers and result in 150 producers’ improving water quality and increasing produce sales by becoming FSMA compliant.