2008 Kentucky Foods

picture of farmer selling their vegetables and fruits at the farmer market

Kentucky’s economy is predominantly agricultural. To keep Kentucky farms viable, the Commonwealth’s agricultural economy strong and growing, and to enhance the healthfulness, freshness, and nutritional value of the food we all eat, new tools are needed for linking food producers, marketers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers.

Steve Isaacs of the UK College of Agriculture is collaborating with the University of Illinois, which developed and supports Marketmaker, as well as with the states of Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, and the District of Columbia to better link Kentucky’s farm food producers with every citizen of the Commonwealth. The resulting web-based interactive mapping and marketing tool will link Kentucky’s agricultural producers, processors, marketers, and consumers. Within Kentucky, UK’s College of Agriculture has joined, along with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy, and the Allied Food Marketers of Louisville to bring Marketmaker to life. The Department of Agriculture’s “Kentucky Proud” farmers constituted the initial population of the producer database. Extension agents in all 120 counties have also contributed to the initial enrollment of farmers and farmers markets.

By June 2007 over 13,000 processors, wholesalers, and retailers were listed on Marketmaker. Over ninety farmers markets and approximately 300 farms were listed as well. Site visits exceeded 71,000 in March and 56,000 in April for a site that went active in February 2007. UK Cooperative Extension agents are actively involved in expanding the number of Kentucky producers listed in Marketmaker. Currently, the national collaborative lists over 3,000 farms and 180,000 food-related businesses.

The goal for Kentucky Marketmaker is increased sales and use of Kentucky-produced food, enhanced healthfulness and nutritional value of our food, and increased consumption of locally produced food traceable for its freshness and quality. In addition to linking Kentucky food producers with processors, marketers, and retailers, Marketmaker provides opportunities for Kentucky farmer-entrepreneurs to sell locally produced food directly to consumers, benefiting both.