Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
- Agronomic: corn, peanuts
- Fruits: melons, apples, apricots, berries (other), cherries, grapes, peaches, pears, plums, quinces, berries (strawberries)
- Nuts: walnuts
- Vegetables: asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, cucurbits, garlic, greens (leafy), onions, parsnips, peppers, sweet corn, tomatoes, turnips
- Additional Plants: herbs
- Miscellaneous: mushrooms
Practices
- Education and Training: extension, farmer to farmer, mentoring
- Farm Business Management: marketing management, market study, value added
- Sustainable Communities: new business opportunities, partnerships, public participation, employment opportunities, social networks, sustainability measures
Abstract:
Since farmer friendly legislation opened the avenue for farmers to sell valued added food products from their home if the predominant ingredient was grown, harvested and processed on the farm, the Value Added Microprocessor Project has trained 81 agency professionals and 193 farmers. Agency professionals now have the knowledge and skills to provide homebased microprocessors and other value added training, as well as technical assistance, and homebased microprocessors have the necessary knowledge and skills to produce safe home processed products to sell at farmers markets according to legislative rules. Additional trainings were developed as a result of a survey needs for commercial sale beyond the farmers markets. Others states are exploring adopting the program because it increases economic returns, strengthens the community farm-to-table link, reduces waste, and saves valuable natural resources.
Project objectives:
Learning outcomes met during the project include:
*Agency professionals have knowledge and skills to provide homebased microprocessor and other value added training as well as technical assistance;
*Homebased microprocessors have the necessary knowledge and skills to produce safe home processed products and sell at farmers markets according to legislative rules;
*Farmers were surveyed as to additional value added training they deemed necessary from the University of Kentucky and results led to Kitchen to Market workshops;
*Commercial food manufacturers will have the necessary knowledge and skills to oversee the production of safe commercially prepared foods by the end of the year when appropriate activities are implemented.