Kentucky State University's Land Grant Program works to develop resources to provide educational assistance to small-scale producers, or farms that sell less than $250,000 of agricultural products each year. The Small-Scale Farm Grant and Farmer Education Grant are part of a partnership with the Kentucky Agriculture Development Fund that has been renewed through the end of 2019 and will continue to help farmers across the state. This mini-grant program provides funding to farmers across the state who are motivated to improve their farming operations, to improve the marketability of their products with a value-added enterprise, or who need assistance with specific training. Extension Associate Joni Nelson facilitates the Small-Scale Farm Grant and works with farmers as they apply. The maximum each farm can receive is $5,000; non-profit groups and organized businesses that support groups of farmers may qualify for up to $15,000.
To learn more or to apply, email Joni Nelson at joni.nelson@kysu.edu or visit www.kysu.edu/ssfg.
Agriculture, the field day helped give farmers the opportunity to learn about proper growing techniques, best practices, and the qualifications to become a processor or grower. The second event was held at KYSU's Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm in partnership with the Organic Association of Kentucky. Both events attracted growers and potential growers interested in learning more about hemp and recommended marketing strategies, export opportunities and product development.
Kentucky Department of Agriculture monitored producers through a regulated licensing program. In the 2018 Farm Bill, industrial hemp was removed from the controlled substances list and is once again legal to grow. Kentucky State
In the early 1920s, Kentucky was a leader in industrial hemp production. But the industry saw a sharp decline following World War I as markets were recovering and tobacco rose as a cash crop. Hemp was later classified as illegal to grow by the federal government under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Program currently works to educate producers on how to grow hemp and what the most viable market is for this emerging commodity. The program hosted two hemp field days in 2018. The first was in western Kentucky to introduce farmers to the idea of hemp as an alternative to tobacco production. In collaboration with the Kentucky Department of
Under the passing of the 2014 Farm Bill, hemp was once again legalized as a controlled substance and the the idea of hemp as an alternative to tobacco production. In collaboration with the Kentucky Department of
To learn more about hemp field day opportunities, contact Austin Wright in western Kentucky (austin.wright@kysu.edu) or Dr. Shawn Lucas on KYSU's Frankfort campus (shawn.lucas@kysu.edu).
The Promising Youth Center for Excellence (PYCE) is a grant-funded, research-based, youth development after-school program on Kentucky State University's Frankfort campus. Currently, there are two programs under PYCE that work with at-risk African-American and Hispanic youth, ages 10 to 17. The first is funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services with a focus on males; the second is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and includes both males and females. Youth attend from schools in Frankfort's partnering districts—Frankfort County Public Schools and Frankfort Independent Schools—each day after school and all day during the six-week Summer Institute.
This innovative program partners with the Frankfort Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff's office, the Franklin County Health Department, Bluegrass.org and others to provide participants with mentoring, and lessons and experiences covering a wide range of topics including academic and cultural enrichment, building resiliency factors and coping strategies, violence prevention, conflict resolution, substance abuse education, and career development. Lessons and mentoring are also provided by college students and other community members who have been screened and trained by program staff.
To learn more about this program, contact Dr. Herman Walston, (502) 597-5906 or herman.walston@kysu.edu.
In July 2018, West Virginia State University hosted the Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Program in a two-day working session to identify cross-sectional issues related to Extension. During this event, Extension faculty from both institutions worked in their program areas to discuss future collaborations to address common issues related to their clientele.
Also during the year, KYSU's Cooperative Extension Program hosted Extension professionals from Central State University Cooperative Extension to offer professional development training titled, "Getting the Blue Ribbon." Central State University toured KYSU's 14-acre Aquaculture Research Center and the over 300-acre Harold R. Benson Farm. Through this endeavor, participants were able to form and strengthen partnerships with KYSU's Extension state specialists in similar disciplines and compare issues that they face within the 1890 Land Grant community.
endeavor, participants were able to form and strengthen partnerships with KYSU's Extension state specialists in similar disciplines and compare issues that they face within the 1890 Land Grant community.
Award-Winning Results Don't Come Naturally!
Jones Loflin
In May 2018, Extension specialists, associates and agents from Kentucky State University (KYSU) and University of Kentucky participated in an Impact Collaborative Innovation Kit Workshop organized by eXtension foundation. The session was designed to enable professionals to work through the innovative thinking process. Through design thinking and experimentation principles, participants were charged with the task of turning an idea into a compelling innovative project. After completing the training at KYSU, Dr. Allison Young, associate professor in family and consumer sciences in Kentucky State University's College of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment, traveled to other institutions to facilitate the use of the Impact Collaborative Innovation Kit.
associate professor in family and consumer sciences in Kentucky State University's College of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment, traveled to other institutions to facilitate the use of the Impact Collaborative Innovation Kit.