Tag: Food Access

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Policy Update – March 31, 202

CFA Admin

As the 2026 session of the Kentucky General Assembly moves toward its final stretch, several key policy decisions are taking shape that will impact the future of farming, local food systems, and nutrition access across the Commonwealth. At CFA, we’re continuing to advocate for policies that support Kentucky farmers, strengthen local markets, and connect more Kentuckians to fresh, locally produced food.

This year, three core issues have guided our work for our members: protecting farmland ownership, investing in soil health, and expanding market opportunities for small and mid-scale farmers. The following bills represent important steps toward addressing these challenges and strengthening the long-term viability of Kentucky family farms:

  • Senate Bill 73: Originally introduced as separate poultry legislation and now incorporated into broader policy discussions, SB 73 would allow certain USDA-exempt poultry producers to process up to 1,000 birds on-farm and sell directly to consumers at farms, farmers markets, and roadside stands. This change would expand market access for small-scale producers and help meet growing demand for locally raised meat. The bill has been delivered to the Governor.
    👉 https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sb73.html
  • Senate Bill 5 (SIGNED INTO LAW): This legislation makes it easier for schools to purchase Kentucky-grown agricultural products by reducing state levle procurement barriers, which starts to address strengthening farm-to-school connections and expanding markets for local producers.
    👉 https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sb5.html
  • House Bill 197: This legislation would create a Healthy Soils Program and Fund to support farmers and landowners implementing soil-building practices through grants, technical assistance, and planning support.
  • Senate Bill 23: This bill would establish a clearer legal process when farmland is inherited by multiple family members without a will—helping families hold onto their land and reducing the risk of forced sales that can lead to land loss.
  • House Bill 871: This piece of legislation would establish a Kentucky Farm to School Program and dedicated fund. The program would reimburse school districts for meals that include Kentucky-grown products and require participating districts to develop plans to increase local purchasing and food education opportunities. 

Together, these conversations reflect a growing recognition that strong farms and healthy communities go hand in hand. From protecting family farmland to expanding local food markets, improving soil health, and supporting small-scale processing, the decisions made during this legislative session will have lasting impacts on Kentucky agriculture.

We’ll continue working alongside our members, farmers, community partners, and policymakers to advance solutions that strengthen family farms and build a more resilient local food system for Kentucky.

Become a family Farm Supporter by Becoming a member

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Grow Your Sales with SNAP and SNAP Kentucky Double Dollars

CFA Admin

Accepting SNAP and Kentucky Double Dollars (KDD) at your farm stand or farmers market is a powerful way to grow your customer base and increase your sales. With Kentucky Double Dollars, SNAP customers can double their spending power by up to $20 per day—meaning more dollars flowing directly into your business.

Why offer SNAP and SNAP KDD?

  • Earn More Income: Every Kentucky Double Dollars redemption translates into real revenue from your products
  • Attract New Customers: Position your farm or market as a reliable source of affordable, healthy food
  • Support Your Community: Help families access fresh, locally grown produce while strengthening Kentucky’s food system

If you’re ready to get started but aren’t sure how, we’ve got you covered.

Join the SNAP Cohort

The SNAP Cohort is a free webinar series for Kentucky farm stands and farmers markets interested in accepting SNAP. In this first session, you’ll learn:

  • How to apply for a SNAP permit
  • What to expect during the application process
  • What equipment you’ll need, including free point-of-sale options

This is the first of three sessions in a yearlong cohort, where you’ll also receive hands-on technical assistance and connect with peers working toward the same goals.

📅 First Session: April 20 at 6 PM ET
👉 Register here: https://forms.monday.com/forms/e08b6c0de5fb58548b61af9eabe65626?r=use1

Take the next step toward growing your market while making a meaningful impact in your community.

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Hill View Farms Market serves up local food for everyone

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Jim Gilles grew up in Owensboro, KY, where his family raised beef cattle.  When he came back to the family farm, he noticed customers wanted access to locally raised beef, but many hesitated to buy a half or quarter of beef.  Not everyone could afford or store that much meat at once. So, he started selling individual cuts of beef at Owensboro Regional Farmers Market on Saturdays during the summers.

What started with his own beef soon expanded to raising chickens and incorporating pork, milk, and cheese from other farmers alongside his market offerings.  By 2016, seasonal Saturdays had expanded into a year-round, on-farm retail store carrying milk, cheese, pork, and produce. Today, Hill View Farms Market a reliable place for people to pick up products from more than 20 local farms. 

Setting up an on-farm store started when a vacant house on the farm became available.  Jim and his family had considered renting it, but they decided to take a chance and turn it into a storefront instead. “We didn’t have anything to lose,” Jim said. “If it didn’t work, we’d just fall back on renting the house out.”

Happily, the on-farm store worked.  As Hill View gained traction and a loyal customer base, Jim added SNAP as a payment option around five years ago. He knew the importance of making local food more accessible and saw how programs like Kentucky Double Dollars (KDD) helped shoppers stretch their benefits at the farmers market. benefits used at the market.

When he heard CFA would be piloting on-farm markets and roadside stands, Jim was excited to sign on. In 2025, Hill View Farms Market began offering Kentucky Double Dollars to allow SNAP customers to double up to $20 of their

“I kind of knew what I was getting into,” he said, having seen the program in action at the Owensboro Regional Farmers Market. He worked closely with CFA staff to understand the required reporting and design a system that fit how Hill View already operated. “Honestly, getting SNAP was more difficult than figuring out how to do KDD at the store.”

Using a simple voucher system—dated and tracked with stubs—Hill View began offering KDD, making it easier for SNAP shoppers to return, redeem vouchers, and buy more.

“It helped folks who use SNAP to come to the store more often and buy more,” Jim explained.

Hill View’s SNAP sales continue to grow gradually, and the store is committed to welcoming more shoppers who want fresh, local food from Kentucky farms.

For other farm stores considering the program, Hill View’s experience shows that with the right support, it’s possible to make KDD work for on-farm retail, too—not just for farmers markets. If you have a farm market or roadside stand and are interested in offering incentives, check out Kentucky Double Dollars here: https://kentuckydoubledollars.org/retailer-or-farm-stand-information/.  CFA can can work with you to accept SNAP if you are interested!

Learn more about Hill View Farms Market here: https://www.hillviewfarmsmeats.com/

Member Story, Newsletters

Doubling Food Access and Farmer Sales at Red River Gorge Farmers Market

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Building Community Resilience, One Market at a Time: Red River Gorge Farmers Market and Kentucky Double Dollars

When the Red River Gorge Farmers Market (RRGFM) opened in 2019, it began with a vision: grow a farmers market that not only serves the local community, but strengthens the people growing the food. Nestled in Slade, Kentucky, a region better known for its natural beauty than access to fresh produce, the market became a gathering space and a lifeline.

But like many small rural markets, RRGFM faced a challenge: How do you serve a low-income community while still sustaining your vendors?

That’s where the Kentucky Double Dollars (KDD) program made a difference.

Meeting the Moment

In 2023, as RRGFM planned for its third season, the team applied to join the KDD program, which matches SNAP, WIC, and Senior nutrition benefits for fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and more. They were accepted, and immediately began the work of onboarding vendors, setting up outreach, and integrating the program into market operations.

Fast forward to 2025—now in their fifth season and third year as a KDD market—and the results speak volumes. Sales are up. Farmer participation is strong. And most importantly, more people in the community are able to access the food they want to eat.

As Market Leader Jann Knappage puts it:

“I see KDD as a program that helps bolster community resilience while making the work of small-scale growers more sustainable. It’s about neighbors supporting neighbors.”

Shared Success

In 2025, RRGFM offered multiple KDD-eligible products—from fruits and vegetables to meats, eggs, and dairy—through SNAP and other KDD matching. This not only gave customers more choices, it also helped farmer vendors expand their income, improve predictability, and feel more invested in the long-term viability of the market.

The market used KDD not just as a financial tool, but as part of a broader strategy to center food access and farmer well-being together.

  • Customers using SNAP, Senior Nutrition, and WIC could stretch their dollars
  • Farmers could sell more of what they grow, knowing their customers could afford it
  • The market could measure impact, helping to secure local support and funding

This is the power of KDD—not a one-time boost, but a platform that markets can build from.

A Note of Thanks

This success story was possible because of collaboration—from the farmers and organizers on the ground to the funders who believe in long-term investment in local food systems.

CFA and RRGFM extend deep thanks to:

  • USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
  • Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
  • Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky
  • Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky

And individual supporters—people like you, who believe in the future of Kentucky’s farmers and communities.

What’s Next

As markets across Kentucky prepare for 2026, stories like Red River Gorge show what’s possible when markets are trusted with resources, and farmers are seen as key players in food access work—not just producers, but community leaders.

Programs like KDD don’t just grow sales—they grow stability. They grow relationships, and they grow a food system rooted in dignity.

Want to support markets like Red River Gorge and help expand KDD across the state? Become a member of CFA today!

Become a member of CFA
Learn More about Kentucky Double dollars

Member Story

Michelle Howell’s CFA Story

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Michelle’s path as a farmer and community leader began with her own vision for what food justice could look like in her community. Drawing on her lived experience and deep commitment to her neighbors, she built her farm and food work one step at a time — grounding it in dignity, sustainability, and shared leadership.

As she and her husband Nathan grew their farm business, Michelle navigated the realities of markets, production, and community needs with determination and insight. At the same time, they worked to create a new farmers market – one that was helping to serve the whole community, not just those able to purchase local food as a luxury. Her work created new points of connection: between families seeking fresh food, farmers looking for stable markets, and community members working for healthier food systems.

With growth came new challenges — not because she lacked skill, but because the systems surrounding farmers are often complex, under-resourced, or not designed with women farmers and small farmers. Michelle’s leadership has meant navigating those systems while staying focused on her mission and her community.

CFA walks alongside Michelle by offering spaces where farmers lead the conversation, share strategies, and shape policy and programs together. Through these partnerships, Michelle’s voice and experience help guide broader work on food access, regional markets, and values-based food systems. Her leadership is shaping the future of farming in Kentucky.