Language
English (US)
Kentucky Black Farmer Needs Assessment
and farm profile questionnaire
Purpose of this Assessment
Statewide, we are striving to appropriately serve our Black farmers in Kentucky. Within the many conversations between farmers and Kentucky's local food systems we have continued to discover the gaps in the resources, communication and support for Black farmers, exclusively. As the 2020 Kentucky Black Farmer Fund has developed through the Covid-19 pandemic we have an opportunity to explore deeper ways to build relationships. Some questions are to better equip ourselves and other organizations with the tools to better connect with Black farmers. Some questions are in regards to your farm operation, yourself personally, and simply what do you need to continue to grow as a farmer/producer. Thank you for the time!
Would you help us with reporting? Frequently, our organization is in a position to make a case for agricultural investment or policy, in which data and trends can be a powerful tool for bringing about much needed support for small scale farms. In such cases, we seek your permission to use the information you provide for collective reporting. By signing, I understand and give permission for my farm information to be combined with information from other small farms for reporting and advocacy, in a way that my farm's unique information would not be revealed.
Clear
Personal Information (section 1 of 7)
Farmer Name
*
First Name
Last Name
Additional Farmer Name (if more than one principal operator)
First Name
Last Name
Identifying minority status can open up funding opportunities and additional assistance. Please mark all that apply
Principal Farmer
Additional Farmer (if more than one principal operator)
Black or African American
Hispanic
Asian
US Veteran
Disabled
Immigrant to US
Native American/ Native Alaskan
Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander
Woman
Farm Name
*
Name used on legal documents
Farm Address
*
Street Address
Street Address Line 2
City
State / Province
Postal / Zip Code
County (or counties) in which farm is located
*
Is your mailing address different than the farm address?
yes
no
Other
Mailing Address of Principal Farmer, if different than farm address
Street Address
Street Address Line 2
City
State / Province
Postal / Zip Code
Phone Number
*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Email address (enter "none" if no email is avaialble)
farmer@farm.com
Email
farmer@farm.com (if you need to save your work and come back to this form later, a link will be mailed to this address)
If we need to contact you for follow up information, which do you prefer?
*
first preference
second preference
least preferred
email
text
phone
How did you learn farming? Do you come from a farming family?
*
Back
Next
Save
Basic Farm Information (Section 2 of 7)
Each Kentucky farm is a unique operation. Help us understand yours.
How many years have you been operating your farm business?
*
less than 2
2-5 years
5-10 years
more than 10 years
Other
Farm products - What are you raising, growing and selling? And what do you have in development?
*
producing for direct to consumer markets
producing wholesale quantities
producing for on farm or home use only- no sales
product in development (not selling yet, but planning to at a later point)
nope
Vegetables
Tree fruits (apples, pears, peaches, etc.)
Small fruits (berries, melons, etc.)
Herbs (culinary/teas)
Herbs (medicinal/ botanical)
Mushrooms
Nuts
Cut flowers
Nursery plants
Fruit or vegetable preserves (jams/jellies / salsa/ pickles / tomato sauces)
Maple syrup
Sorghum
Soaps and/or cosmetics
Livestock, sold as live animals
Meat (beef, chicken, pork, lamb or goat)
Raw, fluid cow's milk
Processed dairy products (cheese, ice cream, etc.)
Eggs
Honey
Wool or furs
Hay
Hemp
Tobacco
Field corn, soybeans or other commodities
Are there important crops or farm products we've missed? Is there anything else we should know about what your farm is producing?
What portion of your income comes from farming?
*
Farming is my only source of income
Farming is an essential, but not only, source of income
Farming provides supplemental income to my primary source of income
Farming is a minimal source of income
Farming costs me more money than I earn from it
Other
Do you have any agritourism or farm event income?
*
You-pick harvests
Workshops, classes or camps
Pumpkin patch, corn maze or hay rides
Farm to table dinners
Animal petting
Camping, Air B&B or other accomodations
No agritourism
Tours
Other
Tell us about how much land you are farming and how much land you have access to.
*
Less than 5 acres
5-15 acres
15-50 acres
50-100 acres
100-500 acres
more than 500 acres
none
How much land are you currently actively farming?
How much workable land do you own?
How much land are you leasing, renting or borrowing?
Do you have any of the following certifications or registrations? (currently - we'll ask about future plans later)
*
Certified organic
Certified Naturally Grown
Certified Humane
GAP (with third party audit)
Animal Welfare Approved
Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training Course completed
Home-based processor
Home-based microprocessor
Commercial food manufacturer
Kentucky Proud
Appalachia Proud
Homegrown by Heroes
Other
Do you have a written business plan for your farm?
*
Yes
No
Would you like assistance with developing a business plan?
yes, please
no, thank you
What elements does your business plan contain? (mark all that apply)
Executive Summary
Business Description
Market Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Description of Management and Organization
Breakdown/description of your Products and Services
Marketing Plan
Sales Strategy
Financial Projections
??? Maybe I should have answered "no" to "do you have a written business plan"?
Other
What do you consider an "Agriculture Win" for your farm? i.e. Project Grant funding for Farm to School, Getting the cost share funding for your on farm cooler
*
Back
Next
Save
Production (Section 3 of 7)
In this section, tell us about your growing practices and how much help you have.
How would you best describe your growing methods? (select all that apply)
*
conventional
certified organic
transitioning to organic
using organic methods, but not certified
regenerative
permaculture
pasture-raised livestock or poultry
Other
Farm labor - How many laborers work on your farm (aside from the principal operators)? Enter a number in each box. Enter 0 if none.
*
unpaid workers (family, helpful neighbors) who contribute regular labor
full-time, year-round, paid workers
part-time, year-round paid workers
seasonal paid workers
number of workers besides yourself and/or other principal operator
How do you plan production for an upcoming season?
How does your production vary over the seasons of the year? Do you grow and harvest only in the summer? Do you have different products in the winter?
*
What are your main production challenges? What keeps you from producing more?
*
What are your main production assets or strengths?
*
Has your farm been affected by climate variability and extreme weather events?
*
briefly describe
Flooding
Drought
Heat
Other
Back
Next
Save
Sales & Marketing (Section 4 of 7)
How do your crops get to buyers? How do you let people know what you have to sell?
Which sales outlets have you sold to/from? (mark all that apply)
*
Farmers markets
Farm stand
Produce Auctions or Stockyards
CSA or Farm Share program
Restaurants
Schools
Wholesale Distributor
Retail store (brick and mortar) (other than your own farm stand or store)
Online customers through web-based platform
Other institutions
Other
At which farmers markets have you sold your products?
At which Auctions or Stockyards do you sell?
To which restaurants do you sell?
To which schools do you sell?
Which distributors have you sold to?
What are the other institutions that you've sold to?
What online sales platform have you used? What do you sell on it?
Tell us about your CSA or farm shares. How many shareholders do you serve?
What retail stores have you sold to?
Tell us about the farm stand where you sell your products.
Do you have a wholesale price list for sales to restaurants, distributors or institutions?
*
Yes
No
If you'd like us to share your price list with potential markets, you can upload your current wholesale price list here.
Browse Files
Drag and drop files here
Choose a file
Cancel
of
Do you have enough sales to match your production level? Are you able to sell as much as you produce?
*
Yes
No
Other
Are you interested in finding new outlets for selling your farm products?
*
Yes
No
Other
Which outlets are you interested in developing?
Farmers Markets
Farm Stand
Produce Auctions or Stockyard
CSA or Farm Share program
Restaurants
Schools
Wholesale Distributor
Other institutions
Retail store (brick & mortar)
Online customers, through web-based platform
Other
What are your main barriers to selling your products?
How do you set your prices?
I figure costs of production and add a profit margin
I use competitors' pricing
State or industry price reports
It seems good, so I went with it
The market I am selling to determines my prices
Other
Describe your farm's online presence (mark all that apply)
Email newsletter
Website
Facebook page specific to farm (not a personal page)
Instagram specific to farm (not a personal account)
I use personal social media accounts to promote my farm
I have claimed and managed my farm's google listing
Farm has an online store
Help? I don't know anything about this.
My farm has no online presence and no plans to go there.
Other
How else do you let people know what you have to sell and attract new customers? (mark all that apply)
I pretty much show up at market or auction and hope that people will buy
I have signs or banners with the farm name
I use print materials (postcards, flyers, brochures, etc.)
I purchase print advertisements in local publications
I offer samples
I use specials, sales and discounts
I run ads on the radio
I offer prizes or giveaways
I ask for referrals or request customers to recommend my farm to others
I host on farm events
Other
Do you have a farm logo?
Yes
No
If you don't mind sharing, you can upload your farm logo here. We want to help promote your business. (This is not a required field. If you skip it, you can go on.)
Browse Files
Drag and drop files here
Choose a file
Cancel
of
Back
Next
Save
Record Keeping (Section 5 of 7)
Farms vary widely in what records they keep and how they keep them.
Which of the following production records do you keep? (mark all that apply)
*
Planting Schedule/ Calendar
Planting Map
Yields
Fertilizer Applications
Herbicide / Insecticide Applications (organic or non-organic)
Equipment Maintenance
Equipment sanitation
Breeding Records
Vaccinations and medications
None
Other
How do you keep records? It's ok to be honest. And you're not the only one.
*
Informal notes or lists in a notebook
Computer spreadsheet
Software program (ie Quickbooks)
Mobile app
Paper ledger, form or log
Multiple scraps of paper, including a pile of receipts
I don't keep records
Production records
Sales records
Expense records
Gross Sales from previous 3 years (Estimate if necessary)
gross sales
No sales in this year
2019
2018
2017
Do you know what your 2019 expenses were?
Yes
No
My farm was not yet in operation in 2019
What were your 2019 expenses?
Do you have assistance with financial records and bookkeeping?
*
unpaid friend or family member
paid employee/staff member
paid professional accountant service
I do this myself
not applicable
payroll preparation
quarterly or annual tax preparation
recording sales and expenses
If record keeping is an area where you could use assistance, what specific assistance would be helpful to you?
Back
Next
Save
Future Goals (Section 6 of 7)
We've looked at what you are doing now. Where are you headed? We'd like to help you get there.
What are your goals for your farm business? (check all that apply)
*
Primary Income
Increased production capacity
Sustainable land use
Supplementary Income
Ensure a healthy food supply to my community
To keep farming, because it's in my blood and I can't imagine doing anything else
Other
Would you like to gain any of the following certifications or registrations?
*
Certified organic
Certified humane
Certified naturally grown
Animal Welfare Approved
GAP (3rd party audited)
Produce Growers Alliance Grower Training
Home-based processor
Home-based microprocessor
Commercial Food Manufacturer
Kentucky Proud
Appalachia Proud
Homegrown by Heroes (for growers who are veterans)
No thanks
Other
What are your limiting factors in growing your business?
*
Land availability
Access to Equipment
Funding
Labor
Finding buyers and selling products
Other
Do you plan or want to acquire (through purchase or lease) additional land?
*
Yes
I'm good with what I've got
Do you need on farm storage? If so, what kind do you need? (mark all that apply)
*
Dry
Refrigerated
Freezer
I have all the storage I need
Other
How much on farm storage do you estimate your farm operation needs?
Minimal storage capacity ( I have plenty on farm, but could us some space)
Some but not too much storage capacity (It is difficult to store everything, extra space would be ideal)
I am in desperate need of storage capacity (I have more product than space, without more space my production is at risk)
Other
Are there pieces of equipment, infrastructure or facilities that you plan to add to your farm operation?
Do you have a target annual income that you are working towards?
Yes
No
What is your target annual income?
Back
Next
Save
Resources & Technical Assistance (Section 7 of 7)
Kentucky is rich with so many opportunities to build up farm businesses.
What does technical assistance mean to you?
*
Have you worked with resource providers in the state? What kinds of projects and opportunities have you worked on with them? Who has been helpful in building your farm business?
What kind of assistance did you receive?
Name of staff person who assisted you
I have not worked with this resource provider
Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KCARD)
Community Farm Alliance (CFA)
Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) & Kentucky Proud
Kentucky State University
University of Kentucky cooperative extension
Governor's Office of Ag Policy (GOAP) or Kentucky Ag Development Fund (KADF)
Kentucky Horticulture Council
Grow Appalachia
Black Soil
County Ag Development Council
Organic Association of Kentucky (OAK)
Are there other state resource providers whose assistance you have received? What work have you done with them?
Have you applied for any federal aid?
received aid
denied
did not apply
USDA value-added producer grant
FSA loan
NRCS conservation programs
crop insurance
CFAP 1 or 2
EQIP
USDA RD REAP (Rural Energy for America Program)
Other USDA program
If you've ever been denied for federal aid, how did you receive communication that you were denied?
written letter
told in person
I've never been denied
Other
Have you ever completed any grant or loan application for your farm?
*
The following topics are areas Community Farm Alliance and partner organizations can provide technical assistance and support. Some are topics that Black farmers in Kentucky are asking about. Please check all you would like to learn more about and how you would prefer to learn. The first section is about production.
I'd prefer to work one on one with an assistant
In-person group Workshop or class
Interactive internet class or workshop
I'd watch a video
Hands on group training on a farm
I'd like to read about this
Not interested
Organic certification
Horticulture
Production planning
Beef production
High tunnel production
Irrigation set up and operation
Soil health
Food safety/ GAP certification / FSMA
Of these production topics, which would be of greatest benefit to you?
*
Here are some topics related to business, sales and marketing. Please mark which ones would be of interest and how you would prefer to learn about them.
I'd prefer to work one- on -one with an assistant
In-person group workshop or class
Interactive internet class or workshop
I would watch a video
Hands on training with a group
I would read about this
Not interested
Estate planning
Heirs property
How to engage in your local food system
Farmers market selling
Direct sales
Business planning & development
Marketing and communications
Record keeping
EBT / SNAP sales
Farm taxes
Agritourism
Of these business, sales and marketing topics, which would be most beneficial to you?
*
Here are some topics related to resources for building your business and networks. Mark which ones would be of interest to you, and how you would prefer to learn about them.
I'd prefer to work one-on -one with an assistant
In-person workshop or class
Interactive internet class or workshop
I'd watch a video
Hands on training with a group
I'd read about this
Not interested
Who's who in Kentucky Ag resources
USDA grants
Kentucky Proud branding
USDA risk management
Crop insurance
Land grant opportunities
Self care
Of these topics on resources, which would be of greatest benefit to you?
*
What do YOU need as a Black farmer?
*
Please leave any other comments/questions/thoughts around farmer needs/wants in Kentucky...
*
Save
Submit
Should be Empty: