Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:The Kentucky AgVets program targetedveterans who are already farming, those interested in learning more about farming or starting a farm, and active-duty military who are looking to participate in an agriculture focused internship their last 6 months of active duty. Changes/Problems:In the original application, it states that three separate CSPs will be created. After working with the SFL TAP center on Fort Campbell, it was determined that one CSP with various areas of focus would be more efficient and fit the needs of the soldiers better. The "Boots to Agriculture" CSP can be tailored to the interest the soldier has. This also decreases reporting time and streamlines the management of the program. Program partners found that is was challenging to host one annual networking event for veterans and their families to attend. In year four, networking events were held in conjunction with established conferences to help ease logistical pressure for producers who may be traveling 3 or more hours. Networking sessions were held at the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable conference in Bowling Green, KY andEastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in Morehead, KY. To commemorate the end of the grant period, recognize partners and announce the future of KY AgVets going forward, a KY AgVet Field Day was held August 3, 2024 in Hopkinsville, KY. Speakers included Mike Lewis with NCAT and Dr. Cheryl Witt with Raising Hope, as well as grant partners. AgVets Partners have seen less than expected interest in business planning opportunities for farmer veterans. As such, the interest in year 3 for transitioning active-duty soldiers into production agriculture has been less. The AgVets manager added additional agribusinesses in year 3 to be CSP intern hosts, which have been gaining interest among transitioning soldiers able to participate in CSP internships. A Drone business, owned by an Army veteran in Cadiz, KY, has been gaining traction among soldiers who flew drones for the Army. In year 4, the success of interest in the drone business as a host led to the business applying for and securing their own CSP at Fort Campbell and Fort Knox to accommodate interest and provide a longer period (12 weeks) to provide soldiers more credentials during their program participation. Adding ag related businesses to the CSP intern host list has been beneficial as it provides hands on experience and those businesses are more apt to hire soldiers after their service. Many soldiers who participate in the CSP are looking for a career after the military. Many of the production farm intern hosts are happy to provide experience to soldiers, but do not have an operation looking to hire positions on a regular basis. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the first year of the program (September 2020 to August 2021), partners only offered online trainings due to COVID-19 restrictions. Trainings available included the basics on how to start and expand a vegetable business, how to market your product effectively at both farmers markets and online, as well as how to do basic record keeping. All trainings were recorded and can be found on the program's YouTube channel. From October 2021 through May of 2022, program partners hosted monthly Zoom calls to provide a space for participants to ask questions and network with other members from across the state. Topics covered included: Record keeping basics and season prep (5 in attendance), Kentucky Proud Programs (9 in attendance), Crop Insurance Overview (13 in attendance), Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation Roadside Market Program (5 in attendance), and many more. Program partners also coordinated networking sessions at the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference in January of 2022 as well as the Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in February of 2022. The networking sessions had 6 producers and 17 producers present, respectively. AgVets was able to set up a booth at the 2022 Kentucky State Fair and provided free meal tickets to either the Kentucky Pork Producers or Kentucky Beef Producers tent. Over 75 veterans and their families received tickets. Funds were provided by both the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association and Farm Credit Mid-America. Participants were encouraged to visit the booth and network with other technical assistance providers while at the State Fair. AgVets partnered with the University of Kentucky to help offer the Kentucky First Farm Program. This series provides the basics of how to start a farm. Topics discussed during workshops include planning and zoning considerations, state and federal funding options, business plan development, business structure considerations, and many more. Two in-person workshops were given (Frankfort and Princeton) and additional workshops will be provided via zoom. The Frankfort workshop had over 40 veterans and their families in attendance while the Princeton workshop had 7 veterans in attendance. Future trainings will consist of topics related to managing an agriculture business during the first 3-5 years in operation. From October 2022 through August2023, program partners hosted monthly Zoom calls to provide a space for participants to ask questions and network with other members from across the state. Topics covered included: USDA Farm Service Agency lending options (7 in attendance), Kentucky Proud Programs (9 in attendance), NCAT and Armed to Farm Program overviews (5 in attendance), Farm Business Structures presented by a Kentucky Department of Agriculture attorney (11 in attendance), and many more. Program partners also coordinated networking sessions at the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference in January of 2023 as well as the Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in February of 2023. The networking sessions had 4 producers and 12 producers present, respectively. AgVets was able to set up a booth at the 2023 Kentucky State Fair and provided information about upcoming programs and recipe cards. Participants were encouraged to visit the booth and network with other technical assistance providers while at the State Fair. In this same time period2023, AgVets partnered with the University of Kentucky to help offer the Kentucky First Farm Program. This series provides the basics of how to start a farm. Topics discussed during workshops include planning and zoning considerations, state and federal funding options, business plan development, business structure considerations, and many more. One in-person workshop was given (Jackson) and additional workshops are planned in year 4. The Jackson workshop had more than 10 veterans and their families in attendance. Future trainings will consist of topics related to managing an agriculture business during the first 3-5 years in operation. From October 2023 through August2024, program partners hosted monthly Zoom calls to provide a space for participants to ask questions and network with other members from across the state. Topics covered included: Introduction to UK Food Connection (Dec 23, two in attendance and recorded viewings total 5 ), Overview of Funding Programs with KCARD (Feb 24 seven in attendance and recorded viewings total 47), How to Get a Loan with KCARD (March 24 fivein attendance and recorded viewings total 32), What Extension Can Do For You with Evan Tate (April 24, four in attendance and recorded viewings total 52), and many more. Program partners also coordinated networking sessions at the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference in January of 2024 as well as the Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in February of 2024. The networking sessions had 6 producers and 12 producers present, respectively. AgVets partnered with the University of Kentucky to help offer the Kentucky First Farm Program. This series provides the basics of how to start a farm. Topics discussed during workshops include planning and zoning considerations, state and federal funding options, business plan development, business structure considerations, and many more. One in-person workshop was given (Bullitt County) with the grant period wrapping up during the same time period as our grant. The Bullitt County workshop had 15 veterans and their families in attendance. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?KCARD publishedthe AgVets Newsletter to program participants and key stakeholders. Since September 2020, the listserv has grown to over 350 subscribers with an average open rating of 49%. The open rating is above the industry averages. The program manager has also worked with the Joint Executive Council of Veterans Organizations to disseminate program information as well as members of the Commission of Veterans Affairs group and the Department of Labor Veteran Liaison at the Veterans Employment and Training Symposium (VETS) and other events to share awareness of KY AgVets. The steering committee continues to recruit members for the program. Since 2020, blog posts about Kentucky AgVets have been shared on KCARD's website and social media, including topics such as intern interviews and spotlights, program updates, steering committee spotlights, and event promotion. On average, blog post pages have been visited 35 times per page and reached 150 people per post on social media. Blog posts, social media posts, and flyers have been created to help promote the program and resources available. The AgVets website page has been view 6,382 times and the AgVet intern host page has been viewed 2,216 times. This is in the top 10 pages viewed in the KCARD website. KCARD and KDA staff continue to attend bi-weekly briefings at Fort Campbell to help promote the internship component of the program. During those meetings, an average of 68 soldiers were present. Over 4,000 solders were reached during the grant period by attending these meetings at Fort Campbell. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Provide opportunities for hands-on training, classroom workshops, and one-on-one assistance veterans to enter or increase veterans' knowledge of the agriculture sector in Kentucky. During the grant period, at least 317 veterans or active-duty soldiers requested to be a part of the program and received production resources, funding resources and/or business development support. 56 of these veterans worked with KCARD business development staff on business plans and other business development issues related to starting a farm business. At least 118 veterans received training at workshops held. 14 workshops were delivered either in person or virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions to AgVets participants. Topics included: Partner Organization Introductions and Resources Available, Recordkeeping, Small Ruminant workshops, Kentucky First Farm Series, USDA Funding Options and Business Planning Basics, Vegetable Production Short Course, Drones in Agriculture, and Marketing Your Farm and Food Products. Virtual trainings were recorded and are available on KCARD's YouTube channel. These recordings have had over 120+ unique views. KCARD connected with 95 veterans during the in-person workshops. KCARD recorded 10 conversational videos with lenders, lawyers, and farmers to provide educational content to veteran beginning farmers. KCARD staff also recorded videos on walking producers through the development of a business plan. Kentucky Horticulture Council aided 30 veterans in applying for the small fruits program to establish or expand their small fruits production. KHC assisted in the application process, administers the funds and providing production resources. Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office assisted 23 veterans after attending state-wide small ruminant workshops to provide production and marketing assistance. Examples of assistance include: A retired army veteran interested in starting a value-added meat business, worked with KCARD to start a business plan, research funding sources, and to explore market opportunities. A veteran purchased a farm in Anderson County. Neither owner had a farming background nor were they from Kentucky. KCARD staff helped connect them with the local extension office, NRCS agent as well as extension specialists at the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University. KCARD also helped them with the business planning process. An established business south of Louisville, KY, operated by a Navy veteran worked with KCARD to help determine their new pricing strategy. KCARD staff helped the business work through determining cost of production and what percent increase in pricing would be suitable. KCARD worked with a veteran to develop their new hydroponics business. The owner has a good understanding of how to operate and produce leafy greens but needed assistance in marketing. KCARD identified markets as well as how to approach wholesale buyers. KCARD assisted a veteran with his maple syrup and Christmas tree farm. The owner had previously processed maple syrup in Vermont but is now bringing his operation to Kentucky. KCARD assisted in creating a business plan and reviewed a grant application. ?Objective 2: Create a network of agricultural producers and veteran mentors in diverse agricultural areas to advise veterans entering agricultural careers, which will serve as a platform to sustain the program beyond the life of the grant. A steering committee was created, and it was made up of four producers who retired from the military, one representative from the West KY Workforce, one representative from the Kentucky Commission on Veteran Affairs, and one representative from the Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs. The steering committee met 14 times during the project period. Over the course of the grant period, KCARD held 14 networking events that 174 veterans attended. These events included special events specifically designed for KY AgVets participants and networking events held at conferences like the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference and Eastern KY Farm Conference. Additionally, KCARD and KY AgVet Partners hosted a booth multiple times at the Fort Campbell Public Lands Day and special CSP events (Block Party and Job Fairs) event at Fort Campbell. These vents were planned as ways to inform soldiers and their families about the different resources and opportunities available. Over 1,700 soldiers attended these events, and 54 requested follow-up assistance from KCARD. KCARD worked with the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) to set up a Kentucky Chapter, but to date no chapter has been started. KCARD also worked to created relationships between Kentucky and Tennessee veteran organizations. Organizations include Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs, Kentucky Commission on Veteran Affairs, Joint Executive Council of Veterans Organizations (JECVO), Campbell Strong, and Tennessee Farmer Veteran Coalition Chapter. KCARD managed an AgVets Facebook Group to serve as both a place for veterans to socialize as well as learn from other producers from across the state. The AgVets Facebook group included 70 veterans and 10 from grant partners. Seven veterans were paired with mentors to continue developing their production and marketing knowledge, and four veteran completed the mentorship program. Objective 3: Design and receive approval for three distinct agriculture training programs as official Career Skills Programs (CSPs), ensuring departing service members have the information and training to enter Kentucky agriculture and agricultural careers. Boots to Agriculture CSP was submitted to the SFL TAP office at Fort Campbell Army Base. The CSP provides eight weeks of hands-on training with an agriculture business and soldiers can receive a 3-hour course credit from Kentucky Community and Technical College System that can be used to pursue a certificate or four-year degree. As of February 2023, the Boots to Agriculture Program was approved by the Army as a legitimate Career Skills Program at Fort Campbell, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding valid for 10 years. Ten agribusinesses have been recruited to serve as internship hosts for active-duty soldiers. They have been compiled to one website HERE: https://www.kcard.info/agvets-internship-host-profiles. 32 active-duty soldiers started eight-week internships with agriculture producers or agribusinesses. during the grant period. Examples of internships for soldiers include: One soldier interned with a beef backgrounding operation out of Hopkinsville KY. He was interested in studying agriculture once he left the service and was able to gain training in both beef cattle handling and basic herd health. One soldier interned with a sheep and goat operation out of Western Tennessee to learn more about managing a small ruminant herd. The soldier was able to learn how to manage parasites, gain an understanding of various sheep and goat breeds, as well as basic handling techniques. One soldier interned with a cut flower farm in Woodlawn TN. This opportunity allowed the solider to gain the knowledge to grow and provide a product to the community, The solider plans to use this knowledge to start a small homestead for himself. One soldier interned with veterinary clinic in Todd County, KY. This soldier was interested in working as a veterinary technician and exploring options for a veterinary degree. The soldier was able to gain a hands-on understanding of a veterinary practice during her time at the clinic. One soldier interned with drone business and was able to gain his commercial application license, and drone pilot license. The solider was able to obtain a full time opportunity after the internship was complete.

Publications

Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:The Kentucky AgVets program targets veterans who are already farming, those interested in learning more about farming or starting a farm, and active-duty military who are looking to participate in an agriculture focused internship their last 6 months of active duty. Changes/Problems:In the original application, it states that three separate CSPs will be created. After working with the SFL TAP center on Fort Campbell, it was determined that one CSP with various areas of focus would be more efficient and fit the needs of the soldiers better. The "Boots to Agriculture" CSP can be tailored to the interest the soldier has. This also decreases reporting time and streamlines the management of the program. Program partners found that is was challenging to host one annual networking event for veterans and their families to attend. In year three, networking events were held in conjunction with established conferences to help ease logistical pressure for producers who may be traveling 3 or more hours. Networking sessions were held at the Fruit and Vegetable conference in Bowling Green, KY, Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in Prestonsburg, KY, as well as the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville, KY. Partners will continue to use this format moving forward in year four. AgVets Partners have seen less than expected interest in business planning opportunities for farmer veterans. As such, the interest in year 3 for transitioning active-duty soldiers into production agriculture has been less. The AgVets manager added additional agribusinesses in year 3 to be CSP intern hosts, which have been gaining interest among transitioning soldiers able to participate in CSP internships. A Drone business, owned by an Army veteran in Cadiz, KY, has been gaining traction among soldiers who flew drones for the Army. Adding ag related businesses to the CSP intern host list has been beneficial as it provides hands on experience and those businesses are more apt to hire soldiers after their service. Many soldiers who participate in the CSP are looking for a career after the military. Many of the production farm intern hosts are happy to provide experience to soldiers, but do not have an operation looking to hire positions on a regular basis. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?From October 2022 through May of 2023, program partners hosted monthly Zoom calls to provide a space for participants to ask questions and network with other members from across the state. Topics covered included: USDA Farm Service Agency lending options (7 in attendance), Kentucky Proud Programs (9 in attendance), NCAT and Armed to Farm Program overviews (5 in attendance), Farm Business Structures presented by a Kentucky Department of Agriculture attorney (11 in attendance), and many more. Program partners also coordinated networking sessions at the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference in January of 2023 as well as the Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in February of 2023. The networking sessions had 4 producers and 12 producers present, respectively. AgVets was able to set up a booth at the 2023 Kentucky State Fair and provided information about upcoming programs and recipe cards. Participants were encouraged to visit the booth and network with other technical assistance providers while at the State Fair. AgVets partnered with the University of Kentucky to help offer the Kentucky First Farm Program. This series provides the basics of how to start a farm. Topics discussed during workshops include planning and zoning considerations, state and federal funding options, business plan development, business structure considerations, and many more. One in-person workshop was given (Jackson) and additional workshops are planned in year 4. The Jackson workshop had more than 10 veterans and their families in attendance. Future trainings will consist of topics related to managing an agriculture business during the first 3-5 years in operation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?KCARD publishes the AgVets Newsletter to program participants and key stakeholders. Since September 2020, the listserv has grown to over 321 subscribers with an average open rating of 48%. The open rating is above the industry averages. The program manager has also worked with the Joint Executive Council of Veterans Organizations to disseminate program information as well as members of the Commission of Veterans Affairs group and the Department of Labor Veteran Liaison. The steering committee continues to recruit members for the program. Since 2020, blog posts about Kentucky AgVets have been shared on KCARD's website and social media, including topics such as intern interviews and spotlights, program updates, steering committee spotlights, and event promotion. On average, blog post pages have been visited 35 times per page and reached 300 people per post on social media. Blog posts, social media posts, and flyers have been created to help promote the program and resources available. KCARD and KDA staff continue to attend bi-weekly briefings at Fort Campbell to help promote the internship component of the program. During those meetings, there are an average of 76 soldiers present. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To continue to provide support to participants, monthly Zoom calls have been scheduled on the second Monday of each month starting again in October 2023. This will provide an additional platform for participants to network with other participants and to visit with program partners. Monthly newsletters with educational and funding highlights will continue to be published through the fourth year of the program. Several conferences in the state will be held during year three of the grant and the Kentucky AgVets program has organized networking events during, before or following the conference. Together, partners will organize the following events, which are attended by over 1,000 attendees annually: Eastern Kentucky Farmers Conference, Black Farmers Conference, Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK) Annual Conference, OAK Field Days, KSU Small and Limited Resource Farmer Conference, Kentucky AgVets/Homegrown by Heroes Field Days, Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference, and Kentucky Horticulture Council's Direct Marketing Summit. In addition, all partners participate in UK Cooperative Extension meetings at the county and regional level. Upcoming workshops for next year include: FAMACHA Training (for dealing with parasites in small ruminants), Goat Body Condition Scoring, and Wildlife exclusion fencing for horticulture crops. Additional workshops will be added throughout the year. The CSP program at Fort Campbell will continue to offer internships through the Fort Campbell CSP program and is looking to maintain the number of internship hosts during the fourth year of the program. Program partners attend two job fairs at both Fort Campbell to help promote the program.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Provide opportunities for hands-on training, classroom workshops, and one-on-one assistance veterans to enter or increase veterans' knowledge of the agriculture sector in Kentucky. Three workshops were delivered to the AgVets participants in-person. Topics included: Kentucky First Farm Beginning Farmer Series; Business Planning and Record Keeping Basics; and Small Ruminant workshops. Since September 1, 2022, 97 veterans or active-duty soldiers have requested to be part of the program and received production resources, funding resources and/or business development support. Of those 97, 7 veterans have worked, or are continuing to work with, KCARD business development specialists on business plans to start new agriculture businesses. Three examples of clients we have worked with this year are outlined below. A veteran and his wife own a dairy farm in Barren County, that delivers their milk statewide. Over the past year, they have experienced an increase in demand for their products and KCARD staff met with them to discuss options for making their operation more efficient to keep up with demand. KCARD staff helped them update a business plan and assisted with the University of Tennessee Dairy Grant. KCARD will continue to look for ways to help with their expansion. KCARD staff are assisting a veteran couple with their startup agritourism business. Primarily, this has involved working on a business plan and establishing a timeline of their goals; however, KCARD has also assisted with their request for a zoning change through the planning and zoning board. KCARD helped review their presentation and discussed neighborhood concerns of their project. KCARD is working with a veteran to develop their new hydroponics business. The owner has a good understanding of how to operate and produce the leafy greens but was unsure how to market the product and to whom. KCARD helped identify markets as well as key tips on how to approach wholesale buyers. KCARD will continue to assist in this process as the business continues to grow. Kentucky Horticulture Council has worked with at least [7] veterans to apply for the small fruits program to establish or expand their small fruits production enterprises in year two by covering some plant purchasing costs. KHC staff helps with the application process, administers the funds and provides production resources. Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office has followed up with more than 13 veterans after attending state-wide small ruminant workshops to provide production and marketing assistance. Objective 2: Create a network of agricultural producers and veteran mentors in diverse agricultural areas to advise veterans entering agricultural careers, which will serve as a platform to sustain the program beyond the life of the grant. Three steering committee meetings were held with at least 1 member present during year three. Members include four producers (one beef, two diversified vegetable operations, and one equine/ agritourism), one representative from the Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs and one representative from the Kentucky Workforce Board. Committee members will serve for another year during the extension year with meetings occurring once per quarter from December 2023 through August 2024. The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD) is working with the Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) to set up a Kentucky Chapter. This group will provide support and educational programming beyond the lifetime of this grant program to continue to reach the target audience. To date, FVC has vetted a Kentucky Chapter Organizing Committee, consisting of 5 farmer veterans and 1 farmer/technical service provider. The organization is tasked with developing the groundwork to establish a chapter in Kentucky. The process has been started, but it is unclear at this point if the organization will be established in Kentucky by the end of the grant period. KCARD continues to manage an AgVets Facebook Group to serve as both a place for veterans to socialize as well as learn from other producers from across the state. The AgVets group includes 59 members as of August 2023. Program partners also coordinated networking sessions at the Fruit and Veggie Conference in January of 2023 as well as the Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in February of 2023. The networking sessions had 4 producers and 12 producers present, respectively. AgVets was able to set up a booth at the 2023 Kentucky State Fair. Participants were encouraged to visit the booth and network with other technical assistance providers while at the State Fair. AgVets partners hosted a booth at Fort Campbell Public Lands Day. This event was planned as a way to inform soldiers and their families of the opportunities available at Fort Campbell. There were 201 people in attendance and 3 requested follow-up information. The Career Skills Program at Fort Campbell also hosted two career fairs in year 3. A CSP Job Fair in fall of 2022 and a CSP Spring Event in spring of 2023. There were 221 and 262 soldiers and their families, respectively, in attendance at these two events. A combined total of 18 asked for additional follow-up after these events for more information. Both events were planned as ways to inform soldiers and their families about the different resources and opportunities available. Objective 3: Design and receive approval for three distinct agriculture training programs as official Career Skills Programs (CSPs), ensuring departing service members have the information and training to enter Kentucky agriculture and agricultural careers. Boots to Agriculture CSP was submitted to the SFL TAP office at Fort Campbell Army Base. The CSP provides eight weeks of hands-on training with an agriculture business and soldiers can receive a 3-hour course credit from Kentucky Community and Technical College System that can be used to pursue a certificate or four-year degree. As of February 2023, the Boots to Agriculture Program was approved by the Army as a legitimate Career Skills Program at Fort Campbell, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding valid for 10 years. Thirteen agribusinesses have been recruited to serve as internship hosts for active-duty soldiers. They have been compiled to one website HERE: https://www.kcard.info/agvets-internship-host-profiles. Seven active-duty soldiers started eight-week internships with agriculture producers during year two of the grant program. One soldier interned with a beef backgrounding operation out of Hopkinsville KY. He was interested in studying agriculture once he left the service and was able to gain training in both beef cattle handling and basic herd health. One soldier interned with veterinary clinic in Todd County, KY. This soldier was interested in working as a veterinary technician and exploring options for a veterinary degree after she left the service. The soldier was able to gain a hands-on understanding of a veterinary practice during her time at the clinic. One soldier interned with a grass-fed pork, beef and poultry operation in western Tennessee to learn more about managing a direct-to-consumer livestock operation marketing their own products and gain an understanding in the production and marketing program of that operation.

Publications

Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:The Kentucky AgVets program targets veterans who are already farming, those interested in learning more about farming or starting a farm, and active-duty military who are looking to participate in an agriculture focused internship their last 6 months of active duty. Educational Efforts Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office worked in conjunction with the Logan County Extension Office to offer a workshop on November 5th ,2021 with 4 veterans in attendance along with over 30 additional small ruminant producers also present. Topics covered included how key tips on how to manage parasites, create a nutrition plan, and how to manage reproduction issues. AgVets program manager hosted a Beginning Farmer Basics webinar on January 21, 2022 at the Greenup County Extension Office. Twenty Two veterans and their spouses were in attendance. Key topics covered were funding options available for veterans, key steps to consider when drafting a business plan, and marketing options for small farmers. In partnership with the University of Kentucky Research Station in Jackson, KY, AgVet partners hosted a high tunnel workshop as well as QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training. Four veterans were in attendance as well as 10 additional horticulture producers were in attendance. On May 13, 2022, AgVets partners worked with the University of Kentucky Beginning Farmer Program to host the Kentucky First Farm Workshop at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, KY. Over 40 veterans and their families were in attendance. Key topics covered were basic business planning steps, legal considerations for farm operations, and production resources available for Kentucky Producers. KCARD staff provided business planning support to twelve veterans after the conference. The University of Kentucky Beginning Farmer Program hosted a second Kentucky Frist Farm Workshop in Princeton, KY on July 29th, 2022. Key topics covered soil testing processes and analysis, planning and zoning considerations, and key resources for producers with seven producers present. AgVet partners worked with attendees to help them identify their business goals and KCARD staff provided business planning support for four veterans after the conference. Other Efforts Educational Aids or Curricula Non-state specific funding and resource sheets were created for soldiers who were interested in starting an agriculture business but not in Kentucky. This provides the initial support to help soldiers get connected with key contacts in the agriculture industry within their state. Educational Aids or Curricula Dakota Moore with the Kentucky Horticulture Council hosted a zoom webinar on Crop Insurance for AgVets participants. In this webinar, he discussed key benefits veterans can utilize when deciding how to insure their farm and what to look for within an insurance policy. The video has been uploaded to Kentucky Horticulture Council's YouTube site and has had an additional 17 views since published. Changes/Problems:In the original application, it states that three separate CSPs will be created. After working with the SFL TAP center on Fort Campbell, it was determined that one CSP with various areas of focus would be more efficient and fit the needs of the soldiers better. The "Boots to Agriculture" CSP can be tailored to the interest the soldier has. This also decreases reporting time and streamlines the management of the program. Program partners found that is was challenging to host one annual networking event for veterans and their families to attend. In year two, networking events were held in conjunction with established conferences to help ease logistical pressure for producers who may be traveling 3 or more hours. Networking sessions were held at the Fruit and Vegetable conference in Bowling Green, KY, Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in Prestonsburg, KY, as well as the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville, KY. Partners will continue to use this format moving forward in year three. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?From October 2021 through May of 2022, program partners hosted monthly Zoom calls to provide a space for participants to ask questions and network with other members from across the state. Topics covered included: Record keeping basics and season prep (5 in attendance), Kentucky Proud Programs (9 in attendance), Crop Insurance Overview (13 in attendance), Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation Roadside Market Program (5 in attendance), and many more. Program partners also coordinated networking sessions at the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference in January of 2022 as well as the Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in February of 2022. The networking sessions had 6 producers and 17 producers present, respectively. AgVets was able to set up a booth at the 2022 Kentucky State Fair and provided free meal tickets to either the Kentucky Pork Producers or Kentucky Beef Producers tent. Over 75 veterans and their families received tickets. Funds were provided by both the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association and Farm Credit Mid-America. Participants were encouraged to visit the booth and network with other technical assistance providers while at the State Fair. AgVets partnered with the University of Kentucky to help offer the Kentucky First Farm Program. This series provides the basics of how to start a farm. Topics discussed during workshops include planning and zoning considerations, state and federal funding options, business plan development, business structure considerations, and many more. Two in-person workshops were given (Frankfort and Princeton) and additional workshops will be provided via zoom. The Frankfort workshop had over 40 veterans and their families in attendance while the Princeton workshop had 7 veterans in attendance. Future trainings will consist of topics related to managing an agriculture business during the first 3-5 years in operation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?KCARD publishes the AgVets Newsletter to program participants and key stakeholders. Since September 2020, the listserv has grown to over 260 subscribers with an average open rating of 44.3%. The open rating is above the industry averages. The program manager has also worked with the Joint Executive Council of Veterans Organizations to disseminate program information as well as members of the Commission of Veterans Affairs group and the Department of Labor Veteran Liaison. The steering committee continues to recruit members for the program. Blog posts, social media posts, and flyers have been created to help promote the program and resources available. KCARD and KDA staff continue to attend bi-weekly briefings at Fort Campbell to help promote the internship component of the program. During those meetings, there are an average of 53 soldiers present. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To continue to provide support to participants, monthly Zoom calls have been scheduled on the second Monday of each month starting again in October 2022. This will provide an additional platform for participants to network with other participants and to visit with program partners. Monthly newsletters with educational and funding highlights will continue to be published through the third year of the program. Several conferences in the state will be held during year three of the grant and the Kentucky AgVets program has organized networking events during, before or following the conference. Together, partners will organize the following events, which are attended by over 1,000 attendees annually: Eastern Kentucky Farmers Conference, Black Farmers Conference, Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK) Annual Conference, OAK Field Days, KSU Small and Limited Resource Farmer Conference, Kentucky AgVets/Homegrown by Heroes Field Days, Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference, and Kentucky Horticulture Council's Direct Marketing Summit. In addition, all partners participate in UK Cooperative Extension meetings at the county and regional level. Upcoming workshops for next year include: FAMACHA Training (for dealing with parasites in small ruminants), Goat Body Condition Scoring, and High Tunnel Season Prep. Additional workshops will be added throughout the year. The CSP program at Fort Campbell will continue to offer internships through the Fort Campbell CSP program and is looking to recruit five more internship hosts during the third year of the program. Program partners attend two job fairs at both Fort Campbell and Fort Knox to help promote the program.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Provide opportunities for hands-on training, classroom workshops, and one-on-one assistance veterans to enter or increase veterans' knowledge of the agriculture sector in Kentucky. Four workshops were delivered to the AgVets participants in-person. Topics included: Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training; Kentucky First Farm Beginning Farmer Series (two locations); Business Planning and Funding Basics; and High Tunnel and Horticulture workshop. Since September 1, 2021, 101 veterans or active-duty soldiers have requested to be part of the program and received production resources, funding resources and/or business development support. Of those 101, 35 veterans have worked, or are continuing to work with, KCARD business development specialists on business plans to start new agriculture businesses. Three examples of clients we have worked with this year are outlined below. A veteran and his wife purchased a new farm in Anderson County. Neither owner has a farming background nor were they from Kentucky. KCARD staff helped connect them with the local extension office, NRCS agent as well as extension specialists at the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University. KCARD has also helped them start the business planning process and will continue to help them identify the goals and timeline for their new agribusiness. An established business operated by a Navy veteran worked with KCARD to help determine their new pricing strategy. KCARD staff helped the business work through what their cost of production was and what percent increase in pricing would be suitable. The farm business is located south of Louisville, Kentucky. KCARD is working with a veteran to develop their new hydroponics business. The owner has a good understanding of how to operate and produce the leafy greens but was unsure how to market the product and to whom. KCARD helped identify markets as well as key tips on how to approach wholesale buyers. KCARD will continue to assist in this process as the business continues to grow. Kentucky Horticulture Council has worked with at least 7 veterans to apply for the small fruits program to establish or expand their small fruits production enterprises in year two by covering some plant purchasing costs. KHC staff helps with the application process, administers the funds and provides production resources. Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office has follow-up with more than 8 veterans after attending state-wide small ruminant workshops to provide production and marketing assistance. Objective 2: Create a network of agricultural producers and veteran mentors in diverse agricultural areas to advise veterans entering agricultural careers, which will serve as a platform to sustain the program beyond the life of the grant. Four steering committee meetings were held with at least 4 members present during year two. Members include four producers (one beef, two diversified vegetable operations, and one equine/ agrotourism), one representative from the Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs and one representative from the Kentucky Workforce Board. Committee members will serve for another year with meetings occurring once per quarter from November 2022 through August 2023. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) is working with the Farmer Veteran Coalition to set-up a Kentucky Chapter. This group will provide support and educational programming beyond the lifetime of this grant program to continue to reach the target audience. KDA has also started an AgVets Facebook Group to serve as both a place for veterans to socialize as well as learn from other producers from across the state. The AgVets group includes 32 members as of August 2022. Program partners also coordinated networking sessions at the Fruit and Veggie Conference in January of 2022 as well as the Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in February of 2022. The networking sessions had 6 producers and 17 producers present, respectively. AgVets was able to set up a booth at the 2022 Kentucky State Fair and provided free meal tickets to either the Kentucky Pork Producers or Kentucky Beef Producers tent. Over 75 veterans and their families received tickets. Funds were provided by both the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association and Farm Credit Mid-America. Participants were encouraged to visit the booth and network with other technical assistance providers while at the State Fair. AgVet Partners hosted a booth at the Fort Campbell Public Lands Day as well as the CSP Block Party event at Fort Campbell in year two. Two hundred and thirty-two soldiers attended the CSP Block Party and 15 requested follow-up information. Both events were planned as ways to inform soldiers and their families about the different resources and opportunities available. Objective 3: Design and receive approval for three distinct agriculture training programs as official Career Skills Programs (CSPs), ensuring departing service members have the information and training to enter Kentucky agriculture and agricultural careers. Boots to Agriculture CSP was submitted to the SFL TAP office at Fort Campbell Army Base. The CSP provides eight weeks of hands-on training with an agriculture business and soldiers can receive a 3-hour course credit from Kentucky Community and Technical College System that can be used to pursue a certificate or four-year degree. Twelve agribusinesses have been recruited to serve as internship hosts for active-duty soldiers. They have been compiled to one website HERE: https://www.kcard.info/agvets-internship-host-profiles. Seven active-duty soldiers started eight-week internships with agriculture producers during year two of the grant program. One soldier interned with a beef backgrounding operation out of Hopkinsville KY. He was interested in studying agriculture once he left the service and was able to gain training in both beef cattle handling and basic herd health. One soldier interned with a hay and cattle operation in western Tennessee. This soldier was interested in starting his own cattle operation once he left the military and was able to understand pasture management techniques as well as how to manage herd genetics. One soldier interned with a sheep and goat operation out of Western Tennessee to learn more about managing a small ruminant herd. The soldier was able to learn how to manage parasites, gain an understanding of various sheep and goat breeds, as well as basic handling techniques.

Publications

Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21

Outputs
Target Audience:The Kentucky AgVets program targets veterans who are already farming, those interested in learning more about farming or starting a farm, and active-duty military who are looking to participate in an agriculture focused internship their last 6 months of active duty. Since September 2020, 119 veterans or active-duty soldiers have requested to be part of the program and received production resources, funding resources, and/or business development support. Of those 119, 14 veterans have worked with the Kentucky Center for Agriculture & Rural Development (KCARD) business development specialists on business plans to start new agriculture businesses. A retired army veteran is interested in starting a value-added meat product business. He has worked with KCARD to start a business plan, research funding sources, and to explore market opportunities. A veteran in Eastern Kentucky is working with KCARD on developing his business plan as they continue to scale up their vegetable business. KCARD is working with a veteran-owned cattle operation as they look to apply for funding sources to help them establish an on-farm store. Four workshops were delivered to the AgVets participants, all held virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. Topics included: Partner Organization Introductions and Resources Available, USDA Funding Options and Business Planning Basics, Vegetable Production Short Course, and Marketing Your Farm and Food Products. Each training was recorded and is available on KCARD's YouTube channel. Each webinar has at least 20 unique views and the content will continue to be used for future participants. Four steering committee meetings were held with at least 5 members present during year one. The committee is made up of four producers who retired from the military, one representative from the West KY Workforce, one representative from the Kentucky Commission on Veteran Affairs, and one representative from the Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs. One in-person networking event was held with over 30 veterans and their families present. During this event, veterans were able to meet with technical assistance providers from Kentucky and network with other producers to learn more about starting or scaling up their business. The event included a meal, which was sponsored by Kentucky Proud, Kentucky Farm Bureau Association, CoBank, Farm Credit Service, and Ag Credit. Quilts were also donated to give away as door prizes and all food served was from Kentucky producers. Two active-duty soldiers started 8-week internships with agriculture producers. One has been placed at the UK Research Facility in Princeton, KY. She has been working with several programs including weed science, plant pathology, entomology, and grassland management. The second intern is working at a local orchard that is owned and operated by an Army veteran and his wife. There, she has been able to learn about greenhouse production, orchard management, and helped them prepare for their annual apple festival. Three veterans were paired with mentors to continue developing their production and marketing knowledge. A retired veteran and sheep producer in Owensboro and has been raising sheep for 4 years. He joined the mentor program to learn more about direct-to-consumer marketing. The KY Sheep and Goat Development Office suggested a sheep producer who had over 10 years of experience to serve as a mentor. The pair has been working together since June of 2021. A husband and wife, both retired military, are starting an ornamental shrub business in Central Kentucky. They will also be starting an orchard and have been working with an individual who served as a cooperative extension agent. A veteran in Central Kentucky was partnered up with another veteran in Central Kentucky who has been operating his vegetable operation for 5 years and has bee hives. The veteran participant is looking to increase production and start a Community Support Agriculture (CSA) for his farm. Changes/Problems:In the original application, it states that three separate CSPs will be created. After working with the SFL TAP center on Fort Campbell, it was determined that one CSP with various different areas of focus would be more efficient and fit the needs of the soldiers better. The "Boots to Agriculture" CSP can be tailored to the interest the soldier has. This also decreases reporting time and streamlines the management of the program. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the first year of the program, partners only offered online trainings due to COVID-19 restrictions. Trainings available included the basics on how to start and expand a vegetable business, how to market your product effectively at both farmers markets and online, as well as how to do basic record keeping. All trainings were recorded and can be found on the program's YouTube channel. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?KCARD publishes the AgVets Newsletter to program participants and key stakeholders. Since September 2020, the listserv has grown to over 180 subscribers with an average open rating of 46%. The open rating is in-line with industry averages. The program manager has also worked with the Joint Executive Council of Veterans Organizations to disseminate program information as well as members of the Commission of Veterans Affairs group and the Department of Labor Veteran Liaison. The steering committee still continues to recruit members for the program. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To continue to provide support to participants, monthly Zoom calls have been scheduled. This will provide an additional platform for participants to network with each other and get to know program partners. Monthly newsletters with educational and funding highlights will continue to be published through the second year of the program. Several conferences in the state will be held and the Kentucky AgVets program has organized networking events during, before or following the conference. Conferences include: Kentucky Women in Agriculture Annual Meeting in October 2021, Kentucky Sheep and Goat Annual Meeting in October 2021, Kentucky State University Small Limited Resource and Minority Conference in November 2021, Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference in January 2022, and the Eastern Kentucky Farmer Conference in February 2022. Upcoming workshops for next year include: FAMACHA Training, Goat Body Condition Scoring, and Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Training. Additional workshops will be added throughout the year. The Boots to Agriculture CSP program will continue to offer two internship opportunities in the spring, one in the summer and two in the fall of 2022. The internships will be open to those both at Fort Campbell and Fort Knox by the end of year two. Kentucky Farm Bureau Association will be working with KCARD staff to recruit 15 additional mentors and internship hosts. KSGDO has modified the online Small Ruminant Profit School (SRPS) course to allow veterans access. Zoom meetings with the instructor will also be added to make connections with the veterans and answer any questions regarding the course material. The steering committee will continue to meet quarterly to talk through project updates, challenges, and resources available. Program partners will be working with the University of Kentucky as they implement their beginning Farmer Program in January 2022 to ensure that veterans receive the educational resources they need to confidently start their agribusiness. We will also be working with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) as they roll out their Armed to Farm workshop in the fall of 2022.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: Provide opportunities for hands-on training, classroom workshops, and one-on-one assistance to veterans to enter or increase veterans' knowledge of the agriculture sector in Kentucky. Since September 2020, 119 veterans or active-duty soldiers have requested to be part of the program and received production resources, funding resources, and/or business development support. Of those 119, 14 veterans have worked with the Kentucky Center for Agriculture & Rural Development (KCARD) business development specialists on business plans to start new agriculture businesses. A retired army veteran is interested in starting a value-added meat product business. He has worked with KCARD to start a business plan, research funding sources, and to explore market opportunities. A veteran in Eastern Kentucky is working with KCARD on developing his business plan as they continue to scale up their vegetable business. KCARD is working with a veteran-owned cattle operation as they look to apply for funding sources to help them establish an on-farm store. Four workshops were delivered to the AgVets participants, all held virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. Topics included: Partner Organization Introductions and Resources Available, USDA Funding Options and Business Planning Basics, Vegetable Production Short Course, and Marketing Your Farm and Food Products. Each training was recorded and is available on KCARD's YouTube channel. Each webinar has at least 20 unique views and the content will continue to be used for future participants. Objective 2: Create a network of agricultural producers and veteran mentors in diverse agricultural areas to advise veterans entering agriculture careers, which will serve as a platform for to sustain the program beyond the life of the grant. Four steering committee meetings were held with at least 5 members present during year one. The committee is made up of four producers who retired from the military, one representative from the West KY Workforce, one representative from the Kentucky Commission on Veteran Affairs, and one representative from the Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs. One in-person networking event was held with over 30 veterans and their families present. During this event, veterans were able to meet with technical assistance providers from Kentucky and network with other producers to learn more about starting or scaling up their business. The event included a meal, which was sponsored by Kentucky Proud, Kentucky Farm Bureau Association, CoBank, Farm Credit Service, and Ag Credit. Quilts were also donated to give away as door prizes and all food served was from Kentucky producers. Three veterans were paired with mentors to continue developing their production and marketing knowledge. A retired veteran and sheep producer in Owensboro and has been raising sheep for 4 years. He joined the mentor program to learn more about direct-to-consumer marketing. The KY Sheep and Goat Development Office suggested a sheep producer who had over 10 years of experience to serve as a mentor. The pair has been working together since June of 2021. A husband and wife, both retired military, are starting an ornamental shrub business in Central Kentucky. They will also be starting an orchard and have been working with an individual who served as a cooperative extension agent. A veteran in Central Kentucky was partnered up with another veteran in Central Kentucky who has been operating his vegetable operation for 5 years and has bee hives. The veteran participant is looking to increase production and start a Community Support Agriculture (CSA) for his farm. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is working with the Farmer Veteran Coalition to set-up a Kentucky Chapter. This group will provide support and educational programming past the lifetime of this grant program to continue to reach the target audience. The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development has been working to create relationships between Kentucky and Tennessee veteran organizations. Organizations include Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs, Kentucky Commission on Veteran Affairs, Joint Executive Council of Veterans Organizations (JECVO), Campbell Strong, Agricenter International, and Tennessee Farmer Veteran Coalition Chapter. Objective 3: Design and receive approval for three distinct agriculture training programs as official Career Skills Programs (CSPs), ensuring departing service members have the information and training to enter Kentucky Agriculture and agricultural careers. Boots to Agriculture CSP was submitted to the SFL TAP office at Fort Campbell Army Base. The CSP provides eight weeks of hands-on training with an agriculture business and soldiers receive a 3-hour course credit from Kentucky Community and Technical College System. KCARD staff travels to Fort Campbell twice a month to meet with potential participants and to provide resources. Two active-duty soldiers started 8-week internships with agriculture producers. One has been placed at the UK Research Facility in Princeton, KY. She has been working with several programs including weed science, plant pathology, entomology, and grassland management. The second intern is working at a local orchard that is owned and operated by an Army veteran and his wife. There, she has been able to learn about greenhouse production, orchard management, and helped them prepare for their annual apple festival.

Publications