Educate SSDPs about USDA programs for increasing their participation in the full range of USDA programs and services;
Facilitate SSDPs in registering and owning farms and farm ownership;
Provide training and outreach to SSDPs in developing cooperatives and networking and engaging in farm businesses; and
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.
This final evaluation may be limited in scope in that some data were not available at the time of this review.
As with the mid-term report conducted in 2014, a two-prong approach was implemented to review SSDP toward achieving its four objectives with an emphasis on qualitative assessments:
Data Review – reports, forms, curricula, attendance records, website, photos, newspaper clippings, transcripts, and other data received and or observed.
Interviews – a series of individual interviews were conducted with SSDP project participants, project partners, and KSU staff. Six (6) small farm producers from various districts were interviewed in person or via telephone (from Bourbon, Christian, Lincoln, Logan, Madison, and Todd counties). Four (4) USDA staff (regional and local staff) were contacted via telephone or through an online survey for feedback. Two (2) representatives of the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD) was interviewed, too. A total of nine (9) KSU CAFSSS personnel (Extension agents, program assistants, and graduate assistants; on-campus and field staff) with assignments affiliated with the SSDP Project were contacted and interviewed via in person or online.
Copies of the interview questions are included in the Appendix section of this report. Each interview was completed in person or via telephone call. Responses to these questions provided confirming information for the observations and findings in this report. All