Kentucky Proud Membership
Kentucky Proud is a brand recognized across the Commonwealth. As our state’s official agricultural marketing program, the Kentucky Proud logo represents the best of Kentucky’s agricultural products.
Kentucky Proud Membership Benefits
Kentucky Proud members are essential parts of Kentucky’s ever-growing local food system, and they produce fresh, healthy products for our state and beyond. The market for local foods and agricultural products continues to grow, and the signature Kentucky Proud logo can elevate your business above the rest. By adding it to your website and packaging, you’ll be quickly identified by potential customers as someone whose products are made here in Kentucky.
- Kentucky Proud membership comes with tons of great resources and benefits to help you grow your farm or agri-business, including:
- Increased market visibility through your affiliation with a well-established and widely recognized brand.
- Assistance from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s team of agricultural marketing specialists.
- Consultation with our Farm to Retail specialist who can help assess your product's market readiness and connect you with key retailers, buyers, and distributors.
- Grant opportunities available exclusively to Kentucky Proud members.
- Ready-to-use apparel, stickers, bags, and banners available at-cost.
- Additional premiums for animals enrolled in the Kentucky Proud Livestock Tag Program.
- Listing on Kentucky Proud’s website search tool and campaign pages.
- Participation in various promotions from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
- Media campaigns to promote Kentucky Proud products and businesses.
- International export and trade assistance.
- USDA meat grading services at approved facilities.
Kentucky Proud Requirements
Kentucky Proud is open to all the Commonwealth’s farms and businesses that produce and sell Kentucky agriculture products. For consideration, applicants should maintain primary business operations in Kentucky and be able to identify their impact on Kentucky’s agriculture.
Even if you’re not sure if you qualify, we encourage you to apply. Our staff will review your information to determine if you’re eligible for the program.
Kentucky Proud Grant Opportunities
Sure, running a local agricultural business is rewarding, but we also know it’s a ton of hard work. Take a gander at these great grant opportunities that are available exclusively to Kentucky Proud members.
The Point of Purchase (POP) grant provides Kentucky Proud members who have direct Kentucky farm impact the opportunity to receive up to 50% reimbursement for eligible advertising and marketing expenses.
Kentucky Proud restaurants participating in the Buy Local grant may be reimbursed 15% of eligible Kentucky farm impact purchases. Distributors that provide detailed quarterly reports on behalf of participating restaurants will be considered for a 2.5% reimbursement on eligible sales in addition to the restaurants’ reimbursement.
- Buy Local Distributor Application & Guidelines
- Buy Local Restaurant & Foodservice Application & Guidelines
The Farm to Fork program increases awareness of the local food movement by teaming up with organizations to benefit a charity in their community. These organizations can host an event that will highlight local farms, farmers, producers and Kentucky Proud farm products. The Farm to Fork cost-share grant reimburses 50% (up to $750) of an event's eligible Kentucky Proud products and associated promotional expenditures.
- Farm to Fork Application & Guidelines
Join Kentucky Proud
If you’re producing, manufacturing, or processing an agricultural product or a product that contains agricultural ingredients, we want you to be Kentucky Proud! We’re here to help your business and promote all things agriculture in the Commonwealth. If you have questions, check out the Member FAQs or feel free to give us a call.
