According to the 2022 u. S. Census, kentucky had 69,425 farms

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Kentucky State University $11.219 million under the Evans-Allen Research Program (CFDA 10.205) on October 1, 2025, to conduct agricultural research addressing limited-resource farming operations across Kentucky.

The award funds applied research and extension outreach on organic agriculture, specialty crops, integrated pest management, apiculture, soil quality, small-scale ruminant production management, aquaculture, and controlled environment agriculture. Research deliverables include scholar work and extension outreach activities—presentations of research results through printed and other media designed for farmer training and education. Evans-Allen funds support researcher and supporting staff salaries, research-related travel, research supplies, research equipment, and research services. The program aims to develop research-based solutions for natural resource conservation, food safety and security, and economic development opportunities for Kentucky's limited-resource farmers, while addressing nutrition and health outcomes related to obesity, diabetes, and cancer across the state.

Kentucky State University, the only public historically Black 1890 land-grant institution in Kentucky, serves as the recipient. The period of performance runs through September 30, 2027, with place of performance in Kentucky. The program requires Kentucky State University to maintain an approved plan of work and submit annual reports of accomplishments and results to NIFA as a condition of receiving the annual allotment, with funding released on a quarterly basis.

Many of these farms are limited resource operations that are some of the stakeholders for kentucky state university's (KSU) 1890 land-grant program. This is illustrated by the 196 limited resource farmers from kentucky who attended the 2023 small, limited-resource farmers conference hosted by KSU. Additionally, the national sustainable agriculture research and education (sare) organization reported that 80 percent of kentucky's limited-resource farmers had an annual income below $25,000, making IT clear the need for and importance of 1890 land-grant programs to support these farms with meaningful research and outreach. KSU's evans-allen research program enhances agricultural technology development suitable for limited-resource farms on topics such as organic agriculture, specialty crops, integrated pest management, apiculture, soil quality, small scale ruminant production management, aquaculture, controlled environment agriculture, etc. Evans-allen funds will be used to find research-based solutions for enhancing natural resource conservation, improving food safety and security, and creating opportunities for economic development of kentuckians. These funds will also improve the lives of all the states' citizens when IT comes to battering nutrition and healthy lifestyles leading to results to mitigate obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Evans-allen funds will be used to pay salaries of 1890 land-grant researchers and supporting staff, research-related travel, research supplies, research equipment, research services, etc. Evans-allen funded research will lead to multiple outputs including scholarly work and outreach activities such as presentations of research results through printed and other media designed for the use and training of farmers and other kentuckians. Outcomes of this research will include more viable small and limited-resource farms, more resilient urban and rural commu nities, greater economic activity within the state, and improvements in health and nutrition of all our stakeholders.