Centering organic practices and Kentucky farms as market solutions!
The Organic Association of Kentucky and partners are working with farmers and buyers in Kentucky to promote the adoption of organic farming practices and develop markets for commodities grown and raised in ways that improve whole farm resilience, soil health and ecosystem services. This project is part of the USDA's Advancing Markets for Producers initiative and runs through August 2028.
The project supports Kentucky farmers in telling the full story of farming systems and the environmental benefits of organic practices, while working to grow regional market demand for Kentucky-grown and raised commodities. Project activities will provide direct technical assistance, financial incentives and market development support for up to 70 participating Kentucky farmers annually. This project works with farmers managing commercial operations who want to improve soil health outcomes, implement conservation practices (e.g. cover cropping, perennial planting, rotational grazing), collect data and engage with emerging markets seeking positive environmental impacts.
Enrolled farmers receive:
Financial incentives for completing a whole farm assessment, sharing their production goals, collaborating on a soil health improvement plan, implementing conservation strategies and participating in marketing activities.
Free on-farm technical assistanceand soil testingand surface water testing;free consultations about the results of their farm’s sustainability assessment.
Technical assistance and planning to support a variety of practices to support on-farm resilience.
Access to a variety of educational events to learn more about practices.
Opportunities to work with regional buyers to access markets for commodities grown and raised using soil health and conservation practices.
Farmers meet with OAK's Soil Health Specialists to optimize the impact of organic practices on their farms, improving soil health, promoting environmental benefits and increasing overall resilience. OAK works with farmers to collect information on soil health indicators, water quality, market development, animal welfare, biodiversity and more, to capture and tell the full story of conservation practices on their farms. The experiences, information and market development from this project will support farmers to build on-farm resilience and enter markets that reward natural resource stewardship.
Participating Farm and Farmer Benefits:
Eligible for up to an estimated $14,000 in financial incentives annually, for activities including:
Completing an annual whole farm assessment using the Global Farm Metric Farm Sustainability Assessment Tool.
Sharing production goals and collaborating with a technical assistant on the development of soil health plan strategies.
Participating in project marketing activities and sales reporting.
Staying with the project for the final three years.
Have the opportunity to participate in educational events
Learn from other farmers through OAK's network
Benefit from market development and marketing support
Gain insights from data about the farm's soil health, biodiversity, water quality, crop quality and other indicators
Access to technical assistance that will support whole farm resilience using a variety of management strategies and practices, including: conservation cover, conservation crop rotation, cover crop, residue and tillage management - reduced till, mulching, prescribed grazing, stripcropping, nutrient management, contour orchard and other perennial crops, forest farming, windbreak or shelterbelt establishment or renovation, silvopasture, field border, wildlife habitat planting, hedgerow planting, pasture and hay planting, vegetative barrier, herbaceous wind barriers, tree or shrub establishment.
This project is rooted in the adaptation of the Global Farm Metric (GFM) framework, developed by the Sustainable Food Trust in the United Kingdom, to create a Farm Sustainability Assessment Tool (FSAT) for use in the US. This tool, the GFM-FSAT, includes several measures and indicators within 12 categories related to social, economic and environmental sustainability on farms. Participating farms completed the GFM-FSAT as part of the enrollment process to assess the farm’s baseline sustainability. Each category in the tool contains several metrics that produce a quantitative score. Scores within each category are recorded and serve as a guide for how the farm can achieve the greatest improvements through the adoption or expansion of conservation practices. Farmers work with Soil Health Specialists through the project to develop whole farm resilience plans and support the implementation of select management strategies.
