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Events

Hort Agent Update: Consumer Values Survey Data Update

Join the Center for Crop Diversification's team for an agent training & update on timely Kentucky horticulture topics. This training will take place on 06/08/2026 via Zoom from 10 am to 11 am EST. Please register for this event in KERS. 

Hort Agent Update: Seed Saving & Organizing a Seed Swap + Library

Join the Center for Crop Diversification's team for an agent training & update on timely Kentucky horticulture topics. This training will take place on 09/14/2026 via Zoom from 10 am to 11 am EST. Please register for this event in KERS.   

Hort Agent Update: Introducing the Hort Council's Member Organizations

Join the Center for Crop Diversification's team for an agent training & update on timely Kentucky horticulture topics. This training will take place on 12/14/2026 via Zoom from 10 am to 11 am EST. Please register for this event in KERS. 

News

Highlights of House-Passed 2026 Farm Bill

It has been eight years since a farm bill was passed. Historically, the legislation is renewed every five years with a bipartisan vote. The last farm bill was passed in 2018; however, a divided Congress has not been able to reach a renewal agreement since its expiration in 2023.  On April 30th, 2026, the US House of Representatives found a bipartisan path forward (224-200 vote). The $390 billion 2026 Farm Bill (H.R. 7567) is now headed to the Senate for debate. While there still might be a long road ahead, here are the highlights from the House.  

Survey: Rising Fertilizer Prices Leave Farmers Uneasy

Many of us have seen the Fertilizer Availability Survey results released by the American Farm Bureau Federation. This survey was conducted from April 03 through April 11 to understand how global fertilizer market disruptions are affecting producers during spring planting and captured responses from more than 5,700 farmers and ranchers. The key takeaways for producers in our Southern Region are:   

Spring Cleaning for Healthy Plants

Clean tools and surfaces might look harmless, but a quick rinse isn’t enough to stop the spread of invisible plant diseases. Microscopic pathogens can linger on containers, shoes, and equipment—putting healthy plants at risk. Proper cleaning and disinfecting is essential for small-scale growers and home gardeners alike. Learn which products work best and how to use them effectively in this guide from Plant Pathology.  Cleaning & Disinfecting Hand Tools & Planting Supplies

Our Mission

The University of Kentucky Center for Crop Diversification (CCD) helps farmers and businesses to plan, grow, and market better. We create and curate up-to-date, relevant, and accessible publications, price reports, videos, and in-person training opportunities.  

 

The CCD is part of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. Learn more about Extension and find your County Agent here.

Quick Links

Quick Start Guide

New to the CCD or looking to expand your knowledge of all the great stuff we have available? This site is large and includes lots of information so we created this quick start guide to get you oriented and start exploring. Within you'll find some good starting points for exploring our site content.

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Newsletter

Our Newsletter offers features and articles relevant to specialty crop growers and marketers as well as reminders of upcoming events and trainings. It's delivered once a month right to your email inbox. 

You can check out past issues here

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Hort Biz Quiz

clip art of various fruits, vegetables and plants on mint background

The Hort Biz Quiz is a brief interactive tool that helps you identify strengths and weaknesses and potential crops and markets to pursue.

Take the Quiz