I Have This Farm, Now What?

By Michael Forsythe | KFBM Area Extension Specialist
Published on Jul. 29, 2022

What do I do with the farm I just bought?  Although this sounds like a question that should be asked before you buy the farm, there may be circumstances that cause you to acquire a farm before deciding what to do with it.  You may decide you want to move your family out of the city to a rural area so you buy a house and a small farm.  You might

Consumer Covid Crisis Edges Back – A Little

By Azita Varziri | Postdoctoral Scholar and Tim Woods | Extension Professor
Published on Jul. 29, 2022

Covid represented a significant shock in 2020 to the U.S.

Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on Jun. 30, 2022

IFMA 23, the biannual congress of the International Farm Management Association was held in Copenhagen, Denmark in late June.

U.S. Ag Exports/Trade Policy Update as of June 2022

By Will Snell | Extension Professor
Published on Jun. 30, 2022

USDA recently updated their trade forecast for FY 2022  projecting a record-high U.S. ag export level totaling $191 billion, 11% higher than last year’s record high and 35% above the 2016-2020 average.  Gains in U.S.

High Path Avian Influenza Update and the On-Farm Financial Impacts from an Outbreak

By Jordan Shockley | Associate Extension Professor
Published on Jun. 30, 2022

In 2014/15, the U.S. poultry industry experienced one of the most significant animal health emergencies due to high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as “bird flu.”  There were 232 confirmed cases in poultry flocks that impacted over 50 million birds during this time.

A Quick Look at Kentucky’s Favorite Summertime Small Fruit: Strawberries

By Savannah Columbia | Extension Associate
Published on May. 31, 2022

Summertime is upon us, and strawberries are filling the refrigerators of many homes in Kentucky. Strawberries, along with blueberries and blackberries, are staple crops in the small fruits business. While small fruits can be labor intensive, they can also be very rewarding.

The Cost of a Bad Hire

By Steve Isaacs | Extension Professor
Published on May. 31, 2022

Desperate times often require desperate actions, and no time seems more desperate than when the needs are great, time is limited, and labor is short. You need help and you need it now! Add the competition from $15-18/hr service sector wages to the mix and the situation seems almost hopeless.

Agricultural Sales Tax Exemption Now Streamlined

By Laura Powers | KFBM Area Extension Specialist
Published on May. 31, 2022

On March 20, 2022, Governor Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 121 enacting a streamlined process for eligible farmers to receive a sales tax exemption on eligible purchases.  As this bill was given “emergency” status, the bill became effective upon the Governor’s signature.

The Importance of Agriculture for Kentucky: March 2022 Report Update Now Available

By Sarah Bowker | Blueprint Kentucky Managing Director
Published on Apr. 28, 2022

Our unit, the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK),  recently updated the 2015 report, The Importance of Agriculture for Kentucky. The report defines the economic impact of the Agricultural sector on the Kentucky economy.

3 Tips for Farm Management During Rising Inflation

By Jennifer Rogers | KFBM Area Extension Specialist
Published on Apr. 28, 2022

With input prices on the increase and so many things changing with our economy, it is important that producers think about how to manage during rising inflation.  There is nothing that we can do to control the prices that we have to pay for products, we can only make sound management decisions about what we purchase and how we manage cash, and t