Growers in Kentucky are increasingly interested in adding small fruit crop enterprises to their farming operations. While consumer demand is high, available capital and limited production knowledge are known barriers for small- and mid-scale producers interested in growing and selling these crops. The Kentucky Horticulture Council (KHC) and the University of Kentucky (UK) partnered on a financial and technical assistance support program for Kentucky growers with an interest in producing these crops. Over the 4-year project, more than $936,000 was invested in on-farm projects, working with 275 existing and 76 pre-commercial growers in 89 different counties across the state. Blackberry, blueberry, and strawberry were the highest demand crops. Irrigation, trellising, and netting were the most requested non-plant material inputs. The expected farm impact over the next 10 years will exceed $7.4M, based on yield and sales price estimates. The funding model providing financial assistance to current and prospective growers along with extension’s role in delivering research-based information and providing technical assistance will be discussed. The presentation will also focus on strategies to recruit and screen program participants by assessing needs, setting realistic expectations, increasing production knowledge and skills, with the goal of fostering satisfaction and meeting the intended project objective of increasing small fruit crops profitability for commercial sales over the next decade and beyond.
