Objective 4: Provide one-on-one need-based technical assistance, education, and training in a wide range of farm planning production, processing, and farm and financial risk management strategies.

Photo right: SSDPs attend a risk management workshop in Anderson County to learn about estate planning, RD loans, and other USDA programs. (Photo by Edwin Chavous)

• Task 4.1 Update a web-based education resource portal.
• Task 4.2 SSDP-to-SSDP counseling/mentoring program.
• Task 4.3 Provide personal assistance to SSDPs.

Because of its statewide reach, other eternal funding sources, and Extension agents and small farm assistants in the field, KSU was able to fulfill the overall aims of this objective. In the final 12 months of this project, the SSDP program supported producers through numerous strategies. These were highlighted in interviews with both KSU and USDA personnel:

• Having this grant help to open up channels in Eastern (mountains) of Kentucky.
• The SSDP grant has allowed the cooperator to grow & maintain product and to showcase that product at the local field days and meetings.
• I was able to demonstrate and educate small producers on the vaccines and appropriate locations to give the shots will help the animals to stay healthy and the consumers have a safe food supply.
• Small farmers need help with educational and equipment needs but don't have the resources they need to expand their operations.
• We {USDA} reached so many more producers who can benefit from our programs by working with KSU.

Focus group sessions made it possible for SSDPs to interact with other producers or similar circumstances. These informal and formal networking sessions identified various issues and concerns. Notes of these sessions provided a place for SSDPs to express frustrations, state their needs and wants, seek in order to get financial and technical assistance, training, education, and engage in peer-networking for problem resolution.

December 2015

SSDP Final Evaluation