CoBank and Farm Credit Mid-America donate $24,000 to the Community Farm Alliance of Kentucky to promote nutrition incentive program
DENVER (July 10, 2023) CoBank and Farm Credit Mid-America have donated $24,000 to the Community Farm Alliance of Kentucky, which promotes cooperation among rural and urban citizens, ensuring the future of family-scale agricultural production across the state.
The contribution will assist CFA-KY in bringing seven new, previously waitlisted farmers markets into the Kentucky Double Dollars program in 2023. KDD is a nutrition incentive program, increasing the purchasing power of low-income consumers to buy locally grown and raised food at a more affordable price. These programs help reduce diet-related illnesses – making fresh, healthy foods more accessible.
Currently, the KDD has approximately 60 participating farmers markets, community markets and retail locations. This investment in CFA-KY will directly impact 100 additional farmers and benefit an estimated 10,000 consumers.
Over the last six years, the KDD program has generated nearly $2 million in farmer revenue and has created more than $3.1 million in economic impact on Kentucky communities. As a result, farmer participants have been able to increase their workforce, and expand both the quantity and variety of products offered at the participating farmers markets.
Additionally, 99% of KDD customers have reported experiencing a positive change in at least one of the seven food-related behaviors – including increased physical activity, less consumption of processed foods, weight loss, better digestive health, better food preparation skills, greater nutritional awareness and greater awareness of food sources and farming. Nearly half of all participants reported positive changes in all seven categories.
“CoBank is proud to partner with Farm Credit Mid-America to support the Community Farm Alliance of Kentucky. Farmers are an integral part of healthy communities, and the Kentucky Double Dollars program enables farmers to not only reach more community members, but allows consumers to bring home greater amounts of fresh, nutritious foods to their kitchen tables,” said Wes Millard, CoBank’s Louisville regional vice president.
“For more than a century, we’ve been honored to be an important part of the rich history of supporting farmers and communities by not only providing financial products and services, but by investing in innovative programs that strengthen agriculture and local communities,” said Mark Barker, senior vice president of Farm Credit Mid-America. “Through this unique program, we’re pleased to partner with CoBank and Community Farm Alliance to promote economic opportunities for area-farmers, while increasing access and availability of locally grown and healthy food for all Kentucky families.”
“Kentucky Double Dollars is a win-win-win for all involved – it truly helps families, farmers and communities,” said Martin Richards, executive director of the Community Farm Alliance.
About CoBank
CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 76,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country. CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.
About Farm Credit Mid-America
A proud member of the Farm Credit System, Farm Credit Mid-America exists to secure the future of rural communities and agriculture as a leading provider of reliable, consistent credit and financial services to farmers, producers, agribusinesses and rural residents in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee. The customer-owned cooperative serves more than 137,000 customers and manages a portfolio of $38 billion in total assets owned and managed. Farm Credit Mid-America’s products and services include loans for real estate, operating, equipment, rural living, crop insurance and vehicle, equipment and building leases. For more information visit www.fcma.com.
About Community Farm Alliance
Community Farm Alliance works to organize and encourage cooperation among rural and urban citizens through leadership development and grassroots democratic processes to ensure an essential, prosperous place for family-scale agriculture in our economies and communities. CFA envisions a food and fiber system that provides nutritious food for Kentuckians in a manner that is socially, economically and ecologically sustainable. CFA envisions a system vital to the state’s economy.