Transcript
Brett: Welcome pod peeps. How are y 'all doing?
Jessica : Good.
Alexis : hu
Plant People: Good good
Jessica : How are you?
Brett: Good.
Plant People: Coming in with smooth energy, Brett.
Brett: well
Alexis : Sweating again.
Plant People: Usually Alexis comes in with, and don't take offense, Alexis, aggressive energy.
Jessica : Aggressive.
Plant People: Brett comes in with smooth radio voice energy. I'm digging it.
Brett: Yeah, like...
Plant People: Good stuff.
Alexis : None of this is news to me.
Brett: Thunder and lightning.
Plant People: ah It's all true. It's all true.
Brett: Well, we're joined today by the state executive director of the Farm Service Agency for Kentucky, ah David Wayne. David, thanks for joining us.
David Wayne: Glad to be here. It's always fun to talk about FSA programs, but also Again, specifically horticulture.
Brett: Well, I'm going to start with an interrogation, not just of you, but of the entire group here about about your...
Plant People: Oh. At least you're being honest.
Jessica : oh
Plant People: At least you're being honest.
Brett: Just going deep, deep, dark secrets of your past.
Plant People: so
Brett: I am curious. We'll start with you, David. What was your first?
Plant People: so
Brett: Job.
David Wayne: my first job, so that's That's a tricky question because I grew up on a farm, so you could always say.
Plant People: I was going to say farm labor every day, day in and day out.
David Wayne: Yeah.
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: i'm ah I'm a farm kid.
Alexis : What was your first one that your dad didn't pay you for and i
David Wayne: The first one my dad didn't pay me for yeah all all of them right
Alexis : I see.
Plant People: All of them. ah
Brett: ah
Plant People: ah
David Wayne: Yeah. Oh, I have to say that my first ah public job, we'll put it that way, is...
Plant People: a
Plant People: Mmm.
David Wayne: ah at Kroger, the kroary the Kroger supermarket in Campbellsville. And we had two at the time. and i was at the small one is what everyone referred it to you so i i did everything from
Brett: What?
David Wayne: bagger to cashier to stock crew. Uh, That was my first intro into non farm labor.
Brett: Wow, that's awesome. Yeah.
Plant People: That sounds like that was an air conditioning environment almost.
Brett: but
Plant People: Was that a big shocker, like from working outside? How did you feel about hay versus that? I mean, it's okay.
David Wayne: It was a big change.
Plant People: It's okay. Yeah, yeah
David Wayne: you know my my co -workers would fuss about how hard they worked and i was like when i get done here
Plant People: Yeah, yeah
David Wayne: I have to go to the tobacco patch.
Alexis : This is great.
Plant People: yeah it's like listen guys i gotta to go actually work after this yeah gotcha gotcha
David Wayne: like yeah
Alexis : I need to go work some more.
Jessica : This. This is what I get. Yeah.
Alexis : This is my break.
Jessica : You're actually getting to relax, right?
David Wayne: Right.
Plant People: Yeah, i just kind of cruise a little bit.
David Wayne: Right, yeah.
Plant People: and
David Wayne: Yeah, we get paid for this yeah
Brett: What about you, Jess? What was your first job?
Jessica : Ah. Very much the same. I'm trying to think of.
Brett: You also worked at the small Kroger in Campbellville.
Jessica : No, I didn't work at the small Kroger.
Plant People: The big Kroger. She's like, I worked at the big Kroger.
Jessica : There's not really any.
Brett: Oh, we got a...
Jessica : Yeah.
David Wayne: Robble store, yeah.
Brett: rivalry.
Plant People: Yeah, the rivals.
Jessica : There's not ah really any grocery stores from where I'm from. um Somebody who paid me was for like setting tobacco for neighbors, but like another a first official job.
Plant People: Farm adjacent. Yeah.
Jessica : phma that My jobs have all been farm adjacent because then my first official job was at South Farm.
Plant People: Mm. Okay.
Jessica : At the research farm.
Brett: Okay.
Plant People: Okay.
Jessica : I was 18 and that was my first like real. real job versus getting paid to like set tobacco for neighbors and things like that.
Brett: Very authentic Kentucky origin story.
Jessica : So. been Been with UK a long time.
Alexis : Girl, same.
Brett: What about y 'all, Ray?
Plant People: Oh, mine was a weird one. I guess it was not pharma, Jason. I guess the first say it was like a summer job program, but it was a 911 database programmer for Johnson County, Kentucky in the Eastern videos.
Jessica : right This is completely.
Plant People: It was a summer job thing, yeah yeah and I got...
Alexis : One more job we've never heard of.
Jessica : Let's build. Right.
Plant People: And listen, David, it also was air conditioning.
Brett: Yeah.
Plant People: I'm like, this is not work. This is. fake. I'm sitting here and I'm just inputting data and driving around in the state vehicle and blasting music.
Brett: ah
Alexis : In the AC.
Plant People: This is great.
Brett: Run that back for me. You so you said... a series of words i didn't fully understand 9 -1 -1
Plant People: it would There was...
Brett: Program manager.
Plant People: It was um the database was being developed for the county. This is back, you know, in the early 90s where we did not have a reliable 911 database. So we were still in the act of mapping. So we would drive the car and map and confirm and then come back and input data. So, yeah, it was it was a big change for me from, you know, throwing hay bales.
Plant People: Uh mucking out stalls, but I wasn't complaining at the time because then I had to go home and work
Brett: And just to be clear, that was. That was 1990s, right?
Plant People: Yes, it's ah not the 1890s, Brett.
Brett: Okay.
Plant People: No, no.
Brett: There's a vicious rumor that two of your colleagues here are spreading that you're a vampire and have been around for, because you don't really age.
Plant People: It's been...
Brett: and
Plant People: Oh no. High mileage, but no, probably 90, 91.
Brett: Um.
Plant People: Yeah. But that's, that's my off the farm job. So yeah, I wanted to get far away from hay.
Alexis : For reference,
Plant People: Yeah.
Alexis : for those of you who maybe haven't heard the episode and for our our guest david ray will randomly bring up things like oh yeah um i remember when dad would be out with the mules and the plow would break so he'd go chop down a tree and fix the plow for the mules
Brett: And then, yeah, make a new handle for the plow.
Alexis : as if that's something that all of us in the millennial and Gen X culture would be normal.
Jessica : Everybody does.
Brett: He'd be like that. That Eli Whitney got all the credit, but me and my dad actually invented the cotton gin.
Plant People: and No, and let me tell you why. Chopping down cherry trees and stuff.
Alexis : Which is why we're not sure that he's actually from the 1900s.
Brett: That's why we had to verify. Do a quick verification.
Alexis : We had to verify.
Jessica : Vampire, Peter Pan, what else? right
Plant People: Far East, yeah. But that that job was not farm -related in the least, Jess Best.
Jessica : Yeah.
Plant People: Sorry. Brett, are you going to give us yours?
Brett: Well, Alexis hadn't gone yet.
Plant People: Oh.
Alexis : um I...
Plant People: You're saving yours. I like this.
Alexis : I worked, ah my first job that I got paid for was at a Rocky Mountain horse farm where I did muck out stalls and take care of horses.
Plant People: Oh.
Alexis : But it was fun because I was a horse girl. So I was like, I'm getting paid to do what I would do for free at home.
Plant People: I somehow thought...
Alexis : This is so great. Great.
Plant People: I thought you were going to say the...
Brett: and Like in the Rocky Mountains?
Plant People: Yeah.
Alexis : No, ah Rocky Mountain.
Plant People: Okay.
Alexis : They're horses called the Rocky.
Plant People: Yeah.
Brett: Oh, sorry.
Plant People: Yeah.
Alexis : like It's a horse breed called the a Rocky Mountain.
Plant People: the The club horse.
Jessica : but
Brett: Not a horse guy.
Plant People: Yeah. Yeah.
Alexis : Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Plant People: Oh yeah.
Brett: I was like, that's yeah.
Alexis : It's very specific. You can't be like, oh, I worked on a Thor bread farm. That's a whole different level of like.
Plant People: Being you, Alexis, I thought you were going to say the Rocky Horror Picture Show, something related, and then you just veered off into horses.
Alexis : Farm.
Brett: mm -hmm
Plant People: I mean, I thought like some 80s kind of cult classic.
Alexis : No. My talents don't extend that far.
Plant People: Okay. Okay.
Brett: RIP Tim Curry.
Plant People: Yeah. Yep.
Alexis : Yes.
Plant People: That's true.
Brett: ah my My first job was my uncle owned a pet store in Louisville. And I worked there in high school.
Plant People: oh
Brett: And a little before high school, but in high school mostly. Not too exciting, but I did. I have been. Bitten by... Dozens of kinds of snakes. uh... rodents
Plant People: ah
Brett: Um... Had. hundreds of gallons of fish tanks in my little tiny room growing up. It was a very humid environment. It was kind of... Not ideal.
Jessica : that This is a theme.
Plant People: this is This explains so much, Brett.
Brett: Yeah.
Plant People: This explains so much.
Alexis : we're all going um
Plant People: Yeah.
Brett: So what?
Alexis : oddly enough all of us but that were farming cannot say that we've been bitten by a bunch of different snakes and rodents probably which is
Brett: It's true.
Alexis : There's a bit of an irony in that.
Brett: That's true.
Jessica : Mm hmm.
Plant People: Yeah.
Brett: I had to assert my dominance on here somehow.
Plant People: Brett's immune system is a case study in survivability.
Brett: Well, So those are the jobs we used to do. But ah David, why don't you tell us a little bit about the job you do now?
David Wayne: Sure, so... like i Like you said earlier, I'm the state executive director for the Farm Service Agency, and I joined this administration. in May of last year. um Before that, I was actually a county executive director, so I've been with FSA since 2019.
David Wayne: I was actually in a county office administering the programs across the counter. to producers. But my role on a day to day basis, I get to promote our programs. talk about the good things that we do for Kentucky Ag producers.
David Wayne: But also, you know I'm involved in... relaying concerns of our producers back to uh our administration so the trump bates administration with secretary rollins um they get to hear input from the states and i'm fortunate enough to be Uh,
David Wayne: in in a position where I can provide that feedback and tell them what's working for our producers, what's not working. and And. kind of be the, you know, the term that gets used on as the tip of the spear, but um'm I'm one of two appointees with within a state within the USDA.
David Wayne: So we do field a lot of questions that... that come outside of the FSA wheelhouse. But we're happy to serve our producers across the state. Um, before that as a county executive director. you know I was right there with producers working at the counter filling out crop reports filling out their applications for different programs uh helping them get eligible to receive the benefits of the FSA. um you know been at it for a little while but just in this new role kind of
David Wayne: Kind of take a new... new list of duties, but still get to promote. our ethnicity programs.
Plant People: It's interesting. It's almost like full circle where you mentioned that you. Grew up, what was it, a multi -generational farm, but grew up. uh farming and and then worked on the county level now all the way at the state level yeah
David Wayne: Yeah, I tell this story sometimes, you know, when it was a small family farm, it was my grandpa and my dad farmed together and we had beef cattle and tobacco.
Plant People: Oh cool.
David Wayne: And then, of course, with the. the quota system and the buyouts we actually stopped raising tobacco and just expanded our beef cattle herd ah but
Plant People: yeah
David Wayne: you know always on the farm and helped neighbors you know as as small farms do. uh and then i remember so we were kind of joking about the earlier about the job at kroger uh it kind of gives you a new light of uh what i would call easy money you know farm farming is hard ah you know not to discredit our grocery store workers, but...
Plant People: no
David Wayne: uh it wasn't as labor intensive of of what i was used to definitely not as hot or as cold in the winter You know, when you had the fork silage out of the top of the silo, not not near as cold in the wintertime, but.
David Wayne: Um, You know, as a teenager I looked at farming as one of those things that meant that we' we're always busy. Didn't have a lot of money. uh and then You know when I started my college career, I wanted to be an engineer and I figured out that Uh, I was pulled towards the ag engineering realm. you know, just because of my background. But then within ag engineering, one of the classes I took was an introductory to soil science class.
David Wayne: Um,
Alexis : Yes.
David Wayne: Yeah, 366.
Alexis : My favorite class.
David Wayne: Yeah.
Alexis : Yeah! Yeah.
David Wayne: And. uh fell in love with it. I love soils and changed my major to natural resource conservation with an emphasis. and soul science and uh never looked back like uh and i remember one christmas talk to my dad and say you know When I was a kid, I was probably really resentful of being on the farm, but I realized it made me the man that I was. taught me what
David Wayne: what an honest day's work was. And now I can't imagine doing anything outside of. of agriculture. It truly is a special place. and uh it seems like you go to meetings and you see different people but it's a family like anywhere you go you get to circle back with uh former colleagues at south farm and uh meet new friends on a podcast and but i'm sure i will see you all again someday uh so it's I enjoy what I do now. and
David Wayne: Yeah, I definitely appreciate the full circle. of growing up on a farm. and and understanding the struggles of everyday farm life and now hopefully I get to help farmers. All right.
David Wayne: make it through those struggles and continue on to the next year and hopefully pass it on. to the next generation
Plant People: that This is feeling like a South Farm alumni meeting all of a sudden. There's three of you guys on here. Yeah, four. Well, actually four. I'm the only one that's not officially, well I guess, worked through South Farm.
Brett: Yeah.
Plant People: Is that correct? Wow. Which I'm sure that was, it I mean, that even adds to the weight of your experience. that kind of with what you Would you work with their fruits, vegetables, or all of the above?
Plant People: A little bit of everything?
David Wayne: ah So actually for a few years I think two and a half three years I was a full time in employee. uh so i was ah a research technician like full -fledged research technician while i was trying to finish my degree
Plant People: ah well Oh yeah.
Plant People: wow
David Wayne: So... Yeah, a lot of experiences. i I say research technician, but mainly I was in charge of irrigation. ah
Jessica : irrigation guy.
David Wayne: Yeah, I was the irrigation guy, yeah.
Plant People: it's That's kind of important. That's kind of important.
Jessica : ah Very important.
Plant People: Yeah. Very important.
David Wayne: Yeah, when I would come back to the the shop or the break room at lunch or break or something. if If I was like wet and muddy, then I'd had a bad day.
Alexis : Muddy.
David Wayne: If I was dry, then everything was working well.
Plant People: Yeah. Yeah. Ah.
David Wayne: uh, but yeah good experiences and got to take part in a lot of interesting experiments. That were going on there, you know, we were right Oh. after the tobacco settlement funds and i remember it was like acres of hydrangeas out there and for
Jessica : Yeah.
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: two Two summers, I think. i
Alexis : When's the last time you've been to South Farm out of curiosity?
David Wayne: It has been a while for sure. and
Jessica : It's definitely changed.
Alexis : Call us we'll take you on a little we'll take you on a little trip we'll take you on a little walkabout
David Wayne: Yeah. yeah I'm sure I'll be the guy that's like, oh, I remember when that was here and where did it go?
Plant People: Oh. Yeah.
Alexis : You'll be in good company.
David Wayne: you know
Jessica : Yeah.
Alexis : you'll
David Wayne: Yeah.
Jessica : you'll You won't know your way around.
Plant People: Yeah. A lot of changes. Well, that's awesome. So you've mentioned so far cattle, tobacco, and now we've swung all the way around. to horticulture and probably more. ah edging into specialty crop territory almost as far as like your experience of what we would maybe be term specialty crops so you've had a kind of a sampling of everything and a background and everything so that's pretty cool that's a Seems to me like very complimentary for what you're doing now, especially.
Plant People: In your row.
David Wayne: Yeah, I think But... you know i've laid no telling how many feet hundred feet of black black plastic mulch uh Ran trickle tape line, repaired trickle tape line when...
David Wayne: someone drove stakes.
Plant People: Had the goof plugs in hand, yeah.
David Wayne: Yeah. punched holes in it everywhere they drove a state or something but
Plant People: Oh yeah.
David Wayne: um It's definitely been a good experience because when I go around and you talk to producers and they're they're hesitant to participate in programs or they're like well you know government doesn't understand.
Alexis : You're the government. You're there to help.
David Wayne: Yeah. or el or like since they'll say you know government doesn't understand what happens on the farm like well you know i've actually been out there i've done some of that so it is it is very helpful
Plant People: Well... Yeah. That's got to be helpful, very helpful, I imagine. That's awesome, yeah.
David Wayne: Yeah.
Plant People: Pretty cool.
Alexis : Well...
David Wayne: It's...
Alexis : Ah! I would say on that on that note, you know we... um I... I have a grant, actually. I've talked about it before on the podcast that ah is... working to educate specialty crop farmers on what FSA can provide, and but I am still new.
Alexis : So I'm very excited that you're here because I'm still understanding and learning some of those programs.
Plant People: Oh.
Alexis : And in that process, we've talked to some
Plant People: And.
Alexis : um Growers who are some pretty large veg growers who who work really great with their county and are able to do some crop reporting. um But to something you mentioned earlier is that there's kind of this idea that Kentucky doesn't grow a ton from like big federal level because.
Alexis : the crop reporting is not necessarily being done so i don't want I don't want to seal this because you obviously are going to know way more and I want to learn from you. But like what what are some of these things you wish some of our specialty crop growers knew about, whether they're new or they've been doing it for years that FSA sort of you know provides?
David Wayne: You know... The thing I think at first, just recently, I think we have a really good example of. What? continual participation with us could have resulted in so our assistance for specialty crop farmers that was just part of the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program.
David Wayne: Um, Was a good example. If you had a crop report on file. for 2025, then we... generated your application and can issue a issue you a payment almost the next day.
David Wayne: So for specialty crop producers that... already had their crop reports done. We knew they were there. We were ready to pay them within a quick turnaround. And and I'll just give you an example. So in Kentucky, we had 317 applications for that program, ASCF.
David Wayne: you know, the acronym for it. But we paid out $1 .4 million dollars to specialty crop producers in the state of Kentucky. And I do believe that that could have been more.
David Wayne: I do think we missed a lot of folks just because they... don't regularly participate with us. Maybe they don't subscribe to our newsletters.
Alexis : mr
David Wayne: They didn't know that it was happening. They could have come come in and done a late file. crop report what have you but I think that's the thing is that because the markets are so different for specialty crop producers.
David Wayne: um They... they're not used to these continual year after year programs that FSA offers for some of our traditional row crops.
Plant People: ah
David Wayne: and grain crops. so then they think well there's nothing for me but we truly have several different programs
Alexis : it
David Wayne: uh that can benefit producers and we start everything with a crop report. The 578, that's the form number for it. But that's where we every year, you know, we we have different.
David Wayne: deadlines for different crops but traditionally we have two main deadlines that's July 15th. December 15th. So spring planting crops. Paul. seeded crops. uh for those two different dates where you come in and take tell us what you have planted and we load that specifically you know where it is on your farm you know we have we use gis maps for that And that. creates that history of what you're producing and then
David Wayne: We can build these. program payments off of that or keep you informed of what's what's available for those producers but I would encourage anyone, even if there isn't a specific payment program that they're signing up for to at least go into the office and complete your crop report.
David Wayne: because that is that is where we start.
Plant People: Yes.
David Wayne: So I'll tell you an example. When I was in the county office, I was in two different offices. uh during my fsa career one was in hopkinsville but the other one's in campbellsville um Whenever they would announce a program, the first thing that I would do is go into our database and pull all the producers that raise that specific crop or uh you know had that had something on their crop report for those so even before they would announce.
David Wayne: what those program payments might be. I at least had a list of producers. These are the ones I know I need to talk to so that we can kind of get on the front end of it. And that that is such a useful tool for our offices.
David Wayne: uh to have that so Yeah, I think corrupt reporting is where we need to start. And then these others can build out from that.
Brett: Did you...
Plant People: I think it's a great advice for especially crop growers because I don't think they're always accustomed to that. specifically like that segment of growers or the the we're too small crowd or we've never done that or they don't have anything for us crowd. But that's that's great advice. I really like that. Just to get people in and and to plot establish a baseline kind of thing.
David Wayne: Right.
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: let it but it it lets us know you're there you know that's where a lot of our stuff starts is who who are we trying to reach with this program and if you have a proper room file
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: then that's a quick way for us to look and say, who do we need to reach?
Plant People: Gotcha.
David Wayne: And and I will say so. For our... horticulture producers, no matter what the crop is. uh in that sector of agriculture you know lots of times you're dealing with multiple plantings within a small acreage
Plant People: Oh, yeah.
David Wayne: That does get. that does get very cumbersome on a crop report but uh we just recently rolled out our new crop reporting system it's gear it's called geospatially enhanced acreage reporting.
David Wayne: Uh, but we now have the ability to do what's called Uh, like assorted plantings so we can we can look at one area of your farm and say maybe this total planting is an acre and a half And then we can list what it's made up of within it.
David Wayne: And I know that's going to be.
Plant People: Oh gotcha.
Jessica : That'll be very helpful.
Plant People: That'll really streamline.
Alexis : Yeah.
David Wayne: It's good.
Plant People: Wow. Yeah.
David Wayne: remove some of the frustrations because you know before what we were doing and I'm i'm sure those of you that have ever looked at a crop report. We use a lot of subfields.
Alexis : Mm hmm.
David Wayne: So if you had if you had your. tomatoes and green beans and cucumbers and all these things you have 1a 1b 1c you know all through the alphabet And now we can just say it's one field made up of all these different things.
Alexis : Hmm.
David Wayne: so hopefully that becomes a quicker process. for our producers as well.
Brett: Did you say that that program? that was called it was do you say it was asc was that the letters that i caught
David Wayne: a A -S -C -F. assistance. for specialty crop farmers, ASEF.
Brett: And what can you just like what was the na I know you said you you paid out 1 .4 million. what What was... Like what were those payments for? Like what was the qualification? What was the the nature of that program?
David Wayne: Sure, so if you remember part of the Um, Part of the bill that was passed gave us $12 billion dollars for... ah American ag producers, crop producers. and 11 billion of that went to your traditional grain commodity crops. and What they did is they identified ah the difference in production and the difference in market value.
David Wayne: and created a payment rate based off of that. So then they took their remaining $1 billion and they actually got to increase that up to around $1 .5 billion to... uh do the same thing for identified specialty crops.
David Wayne: that. had experienced an increase in cost of production. But then because of market fluctuations, tariffs and what have you. a reduced market value and they assessed or determined a payment rate.
David Wayne: based off of that margin. So that's what it was. uh based off of the 2025. cropper If you had crops planted. ah there was a list of eligible crops that I i can't.
David Wayne: recall all of them off the top of my head, but it's pretty extensive list.
Alexis : but Mostly fruit fruit and veg, I think.
Brett: Sure.
David Wayne: Yeah, fruit and vegetables for sure.
Alexis : Yeah.
David Wayne: Um, but had individual payment rates for each one of those. So if you had. green beans on your crop report. Then it had a payment rate and your application. was reflective of that.
Brett: So, yeah so.
David Wayne: And it was automated on our end, so we sent them out. to producers.
Brett: That's cool. So that's an example of like... ah maybe a it one time or special program that's. that Maybe we didn't see coming. you know We knew knew something was going to happen. Maybe but we weren't sure. And so that's an example where.
Brett: people would have needed to or could it could have gotten on. your radar. In case something like that happens, in addition to some of the other programs that you all have to support. them. um so that i'm just thinking about like this is like there there are things that happen things that develop and if and if fsa is kind of a conduit for Getting access to those programs, getting on FSA's radar is sort of like that first step to be able to qualify for those types of things.
David Wayne: Correct. And specifically what they did is the the working family tax cut act had passed a lot of provisions that updated payment rates for our traditional programs, eligibility traditional traditional programs.
David Wayne: And this. particular program along with the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. for our grain commodities bridged that gap between when the legislation was passed and when we were actually able to Um, deliver the programs at their specified time so it's We knew help was on the way, but we needed something to fill in the gap in between and that's what that ASCF program did.
Brett: Cool. and Because I know that there's some other more regular programs that FSA has that are available. Um, Yep. And you're you're the man to ask but with both your county and state experience.
Brett: Can you tell us a little bit about those? those programs for the kind of specialty crop horticulture growers.
David Wayne: Sure. I think the The first program is our non -insured assistance program. So we we use acronyms for everything. So it's NAP for us.
Alexis : ah
David Wayne: It's a lot of alphabet soup here at FSA. ah So NAP is the shorthand for it, but it's the non -insured assistance program. So you can think of it as. It's our...
David Wayne: risk coverage product. kind of like an insurance product. or program. for things that you can't get federal crop insurance for. so you know it's not corn and soybeans and those things in most counties. Now there are a few Kentucky counties that you can't get insurance on soybeans.
David Wayne: So that's where... NAP would kick in for that crop specifically, but, you know, in... Um, And... most counties in Kentucky, all the counties in Kentucky, you know, you can't get All right.
David Wayne: federal crop insurance on tomatoes. so that's where our non -insured assistance program can come in and it is it is set up very much like crop insurance where you can turn in production history and build your uh APH you know it's your expected yield on your farm and then you can select different coverage levels if you want catastrophic coverage.
David Wayne: where maybe it's a 50, 55 % level coverage, or you can do buy up to 60%. as well. um to where we we basically cover losses that are due to things outside of your control, natural disasters.
Plant People: Hmm.
David Wayne: uh certain pest infant infestations uh We can. cover uh make up for some of those losses. um and your coverage level gives you a guarantee you know kind of what we're going to make you hold to just like federal crop insurance does on the um rma side but yeah so i like to say it's crop insurance for everything you can't get crop insurance for.
Plant People: Which is nice. I mean, that that covers a lot of ground that's not covered by anything else. So yeah, that's... Really cool. yeah Or can't be covered, I guess, about their products.
David Wayne: Yeah, and we even... Yeah, we even cover honey production. That's another thing that's under.
Plant People: Wow.
Jessica : I was gonna ask about bees if they if the bee I know I've filled out
David Wayne: Uh, Matt.
Jessica : Some FSA surveys about bees at home personally. And I didn't know where they fall, if they're more under the specialty stuff or they're just grouped in with livestock.
David Wayne: It's... actually both we we treat it we treat the honey
Jessica : Okay. Yeah.
Alexis : Mini livestock.
Plant People: Tiny livestock. Little love song.
David Wayne: Yeah.
Jessica : yeah they are I mean, they are tiny livestock.
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: A little lifestyle, yeah. but
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: ah So i I also used to work for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture specifically in the uh division of environmental services doing pesticide regulation so we would talk about these as
Alexis : a
David Wayne: You know, they were susceptible to pesticide applications, but we're...
Alexis : Mm hmm.
David Wayne: what's Unique about bees is they're the ones that drift. onto other property not the not the chemical you know But anyway, so we treat them as livestock.
Plant People: yeah
Jessica : Right.
Plant People: Yeah, yeah.
David Wayne: So if you lose the bees themselves or... the hive, the structure itself. We have programs that can help offset those losses.
Alexis : Hmm.
David Wayne: But we also can provide coverage, risk protection. on the honey production so the honey is what's considered the crop on our side. So we treat that as a special crop. Man, you can get nap coverage on honey as well.
David Wayne: same thing you build your annual production and we can Cover against losses for... Um, colony collapse where you then you have less honey production, natural disasters, drought, you know, those sorts of things.
David Wayne: But then on ELAP, the Emergency Lifelong Consistency Program, ah we can cover the loss of the actual bees, the colonies.
Alexis : Ha ha.
David Wayne: and the structure if the structure is destroyed.
Jessica : Wow.
David Wayne: so
Alexis : Huh.
David Wayne: if Yep. Straight line winds go through and blow your hives over, destroy the the structure, and you lose your bees because of that. It can kick in and cover both of those both those items that you lost.
Jessica : So I need to tell my beekeepers to go back and talk to FSA again, because you all can definitely help them out.
Plant People: Get plugged in. Yeah, absolutely.
David Wayne: For sure, yeah.
Plant People: Yeah. It's interesting that ah one thing that's... i had an appreciation for early in my career when I switched from being an ag agent over to horticulture specifically and I already kind of knew it but I kind of drove it home is that um Horticulture is as much about.
Plant People: marketing as it is production. I mean, it is an all ag and you know, animal. plant production, but specifically for these specialty crops because you're growing it, but you're also marketing it. What sort of programs kind of speak to that? And I'm glad you have experience, you know, on the horticulture side too. because it's an easy thing to miss even though it's a big thing is all the marketing stuff you have to do what programs sort of kind of cover some of those things it sounds like a lot on the production and kind of marketing like coolers and things like that infrastructure stuff
David Wayne: Yeah, i I'm glad you mentioned that. We have a program that it's a price support program.
Plant People: Mhm.
David Wayne: and it's called the farm storage facility loan program so it's a low interest rate loan program That's specifically for... storage and handling equipment. Um, Now when you think of...
David Wayne: grain crops you think of. ah Bye. grain bins or dryers or augers that sort of thing but on the especially the crop side of it is cold storage we can do low interest rate loans on cold storage and that could be
Plant People: Yeah.
Plant People: Mm hmm.
David Wayne: um you know, an actual. permanent cooler walk -in cooler or I know that you know there's a lot of operations that use uh these mobile systems to kind of get the field heat.
David Wayne: off of their crops So we can loan we can loan on those those types of items as well.
Alexis : Mm -hmm.
Plant People: Yeah. Cool bods. Oh.
David Wayne: But I think the other thing too is. the sorting equipment. So if you're trying to automate.
Plant People: Mhm.
David Wayne: Part of your operation. and you need specialized sorting equipment, handling equipment to do that. um that That equipment's expensive.
Plant People: Oh yeah.
David Wayne: and so it's a big investment but if you're wanting to make take that next step and and don't know where to you know get funding for that then we can do it a low interest rate loan uh, for that handling equipment as well. and and And I think that's a big opportunity for our producers.
David Wayne: uh to be able to expand to automate you know labor is expensive if you can buy some mechanized sorting I quit net. to use on the operation they can speed that up and reduce some of the labor costs too.
Plant People: Yeah, it's like smaller acreages, but a lot of times more specialized, bigger cost on smaller acreages. So it's just kind of one of the nuances of the horticulture side of things, the intensity or the specialization of some of these things that we may or may not be accustomed to, you know, as a state as much as maybe some other states.
Plant People: So yeah, that's the good news.
David Wayne: What?
Plant People: Good news for producers.
David Wayne: And I do think the cold storage is a big item as well. you know if If you can stretch out. your marketing window a couple more days by having that cold storage.
David Wayne: uh then you know you can experience more revenue less waste you know all those things make your operation more efficient
Plant People: Oh yeah.
Plant People: And orchards couldn't do it without, I mean, a lot of operations, but orchards just couldn't do it without like being able to store apples and other products.
David Wayne: okay
Plant People: I mean, it just would not. it just doesn't work ah for most ah operational, you know.
Alexis : Yeah.
Plant People: ways of kind of doing day -to -day business. That cold storage is a huge one. It's a big one.
David Wayne: Right. and And for FSA to do those loans, we we do those. So FSA has two sides of the house. We have our farm program side. We also have our farm loan side. Since this farm storage facility loan, FSFL, is a price support program, it's actually on the farm program side of the house. So we service those out of.
David Wayne: Our county office is not out of a farm loan office. um You actually apply at your local county office. You don't have to go to one of our farm loan teams. to apply for that. And. We don't take the same collateral requirements or security requirements that Um,
David Wayne: That the farm loan team. would on their side. So it is handy program that also doesn't encumber a bunch of your equipment or real estate to be able to make those perks. purchases.
David Wayne: In most instances we can use the equipment itself as collateral.
Alexis : Hmm.
Jessica : That's good to know because I think. That also... some hesitations from growers or new people, you know, getting an FSA.
Alexis : mm -hmm
Jessica : um Excuse me. is Speaking as someone who has a farm loan through FSA and of all the upfront you know, down to at one point on one of the paperwork was like, how many times do you go to to the movies? It was like a question on like some of it and the at the very beginning stages, right? Of like trying to figure out like your expenses and stuff.
Jessica : That can be very intimidating. Does somebody, you know.
Alexis : the
Jessica : Coming into the office, that if they if they hear about all the stuff, you know, certain people have to go through. So knowing that there's two separate sides to it. you know of how much you need to do up front to participate in these programs.
Jessica : is helpful.
David Wayne: Right, ah and and depending on the amount of money that a producer is looking at, you know if you're under twenty five thousand dollars We don't even do a financial analysis. We just make sure you're not delinquent. on any federal debt.
David Wayne: and we can issue the loan.
Alexis : Uh -huh.
David Wayne: So it's a quick process. to get those funds out the door and less. intrusive i guess you could say as well to apply for those and then on anything under a hundred thousand ah If it's under 100 ,000, we don't need real estate security. you Now, if it's over 100 ,000, we do.
David Wayne: uh ask that you provide some real estate security on that as well but that you know it's high dollar amount you're usually looking at big structures or something on that Um, on that end. But yeah, let these.
David Wayne: ah Lower dollar amounts can be very useful in some of these smaller operations to get them up and going. on ah a new venture or a new expansion.
Plant People: Particularly important in horticulture because we work with... folks that uh they're either transitioning or they've never they're they're new to the game they're new to producing something. um And so that's also good news that some of these products are available to them to help, you know, get them up and going.
Alexis : mm -hmm
Plant People: um that's That's, you know, of course, access to capital. and You know, all the things that flows there. ah Big issue in horticulture, as it is in all farming, but particularly, you know, on a lot of the clientele I work with day in and day out.
Plant People: And I don't i just don't think a lot of them, you know, think along the lines of the FSA. and we always Put you know FSA in a list of county resources to make those contacts. you know If they're not used to doing that, make those contacts early.
Plant People: you know Farm numbers, start with that and all the other products that are offered.
Alexis : mm -hmm
Plant People: But just plugging into that resource. I mean, it's just a standard resource. we just kind of funnel people towards as we're doing farm planning and kind of looking at different enterprises and stuff that they're doing.
Plant People: So it's just. Crazy the number of products that you guys have when we talk about things like, you know, winds and late freezes and all the things that affect all of agriculture, but particularly horticulture and field crops. And there's all these products that, you know, you guys offer that kind of. Touch on those. that's It's good. Good stuff.
Alexis : We're... part of this um grant we're working on that looks at you know crop reporting and and um risk management with specifically we were were working with cut flower growers but the, things we're gonna make our for specialty crop in general um you know fact sheets and various stuff like that don't worry i'll be calling you uh but i would one
Alexis : question i have after like talking to some growers but also you know talking a little bit with some fsa folks Is, you know, sometimes there's just miscommunication on the way of like, I think I'm saying one thing, but you understand it in a different language. ah Is there is there anything off the top of your head that you saw, especially in the county where there's just like.
Alexis : obvious miscommunications or there's um Just what, like... some boundaries between some of our specialty crop growers you know coming in and working more with FSA that we can help address as we talk to growers.
David Wayne: So. you know everyone ah has their own language when they talk about their operation uh
David Wayne: I think about... Our livestock producers, when you say, hey, have you done your crop report? And they're like, well, I don't raise crops. I have cows.
Alexis : earth
David Wayne: Like well, you know, hay and pasture are also crops.
Plant People: yeah
David Wayne: ah So I think just getting through that mindset, they'll think, you know, what I hear a lot of times is, oh, I'm i'm too small to qualify.
Alexis : Mm -hmm.
David Wayne: That's not true. we We don't put a minimum size on the operation that has to apply. so Um, you know we did napco I can think of NAP coverage that we did for a producer that started out with two colonies.
David Wayne: um you know, so we can. definitely facilitate. getting anyone of any size signed up. I try and say like when I do a talk to growers is that No matter the size of your operation or the type of production that you're in, FSA can help you.
David Wayne: ah So I would just encourage to kind of get over that mindset of, oh.
Alexis : Mhm.
David Wayne: you know, I'm too small or um
Alexis : Mm -hmm.
David Wayne: I only sell at the farmers market. you know I don't sell to a wholesaler or you know a grocery store.
Alexis : Mhm.
David Wayne: I don't have those contracts. That doesn't matter. like If you're in ag production.
Plant People: ah
David Wayne: We want to be there to help.
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: Um, so maybe maybe that's the key and uh and i'll be honest like we have ah we have a lot of deadlines we have a lot of requirements on when you sign up. how you sign up those sorts of things and that's where um having those initial conversations are so beneficial to where uh you understand if you have uh someone that's been raising a vegetable crop for years, then maybe it's just.
David Wayne: Now they come in and say, hey, this is what I've been doing for this long. But with your new producers that are like, hey, I really think I'm. I'm interested in getting into Um, this type of vegetable production or fruit production or even like cut flowers or something like that.
David Wayne: To start the conversation with us so that we can say, oh, here's the. then timing that you need to know. on all these different programs that we have because it is disheartening when someone comes in i can think of a strawberry producer when i was in camelsville came in and said oh you know ah the frost got my strawberries well.
David Wayne: He hadn't signed up for the coverage beforehand. So then, you know, he wasn't eligible.
Plant People: Yeah.
Alexis : mm -hmm
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: And we we can work with some producers on some of those things to get over those hurdles. but uh kind of conversation on the front end so i would say before you plant anything Come and talk to us to make sure we can help get you set up.
David Wayne: Because that's the most important. important part. uh is uh before you get started uh let us know what you're interested in starting then we can get you pointed in the right direction
Plant People: And I heard you mention a couple of times.
Alexis : And all you need is a farm number, right?
Plant People: Yeah.
Alexis : like get go to You buy a farm, you might not even have a farm number, you go in your farm number and immediately go, I want to talk about crop reporting, right?
David Wayne: Yeah, exactly.
Alexis : It's like that kind of the the timeline that you recommend.
David Wayne: Yeah, start starting as if you can get to us as soon as you buy the farm, that's perfect. I like i wish we could hit that on everybody.
Alexis : That was me. I was like, give me my farm number right now.
Plant People: Right away.
David Wayne: Aye.
Plant People: Right away.
David Wayne: Right, yeah.
Plant People: um' I'm official now. You've got a number. Yeah.
David Wayne: but drove from the courthouse to the FSA office. Like here's my recorded deed.
Plant People: Perfect. Perfect.
David Wayne: uh
Alexis : I mean...
David Wayne: Yeah.
Alexis : Basically.
David Wayne: But yeah, that's that's the best place to start is getting you a farm number. We make sure that all your fields look correct on your maps. So that when you do start planting, you're ready. Because it is frustrating. if if you have to do all that at the time of crop reporting and you always say, well, we need your deed first before we can even put you on the farm.
Alexis : the
David Wayne: uh so yeah starting from the beginning and kind of getting ahead and and I know it was... well as you all probably do that farmers are notorious for being like oh i should have done that ah type thing that
Plant People: Wish I had a, yeah.
David Wayne: And... Yeah, wish I had it, yeah. I do that on my own farm.
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: I mean, I'm i'm probably behind on all of my signups.
Plant People: Oh, yeah. I think we all do, yeah.
David Wayne: Yeah.
Plant People: Whoops. whoops
David Wayne: But... But we we can work through that and and get you caught up. And... No time at all, really. but yeah start with the farm number and then we start doing crop reports and and getting you signed up for all these other all these other programs. and And NAP is a...
David Wayne: Um, the non -insured assistance program which is your risk disaster coverage. uh It does happen before the crop goes in the ground, so just like crop insurance.
David Wayne: you got to say hey in the spring i'm going to plant soybeans or what have you it's the same thing ah you know in the fall i'm going to plant my strawberries um So come just come in before you start. planting those crops and we can get you signed up for that kind of stuff then our uh farm storage facility loans that's whenever you need it whenever you decide that you need it Come in and talk to us. you know there.
David Wayne: a you know a quick turnaround for for government work on those and we can get people signed up and get them approved what i would say on the farm source facility loan is don't start your project then come in and say hey i need money we have to look at it before you get started especially if you're doing any kind of construction just because of our environmental review process Um,
David Wayne: But yeah, if you're thinking about purchasing something. Um, Purchasing handling equipment before you make that transaction come in and talk to us and we can get you set up for some But...
Plant People: you know I'll zoom out a little bit here. I know the conversation, we've had a lot of conversation today, ah rightfully so, you know, with ah products and and things and programs that FSA offers. But we kind of touched on it a couple times during the discussion today. And that's just kind of being counted in horticulture in Kentucky and other states. But if you're a horticulture producer, I was making a...
Plant People: presentation the other day at an economic development forum, county -based, and I got to the point where um I had to talk about specialty crops and the lack of information that we have. And I know it's so much bigger.
Plant People: than the information that we have, or actually it just doesn't exist. And there was a couple of folks there from the university, and I looked at them, I said, am I missing something? Is there any sources? You know, as I live, as I was giving the presentation, and no, there just wasn't, there there's holes in the data.
Plant People: And I guess, ah you know, and that sort of speaks to the importance does if we're. More accurately, more well counted. for what's actually going on in the state does that help programs like that you can offer? How does that work with? like on your end, if we do report what's actually going on better.
Plant People: Does that kind of help? make the federal case for the money that we get or does it have an impact?
David Wayne: It does any time Congress goes to pass legislation towards. program funding. they'll do a cost analysis so they try and determine how much is it going to cost us to implement this program so if the data is there
Plant People: o
David Wayne: they can better assess how much money they need to dedicate to the program.
Plant People: Okay.
David Wayne: Or...
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: on the front end have accurate payment rates what happens lots of times with specialty crop programs, especially if they're one -time programs. uh in response to some sort of market fluctuation or disaster ah they'll have a sign up then they'll determine payment rates uh so producers go into it not knowing you know what that payment may end up being so if we can get closer to
Alexis : a
David Wayne: have been you know 100 % is probably not going to be out there but you know if we can get closer to a majority of our specialty crops being reported then we can better accurately determine what our payment rates need to be, what...
David Wayne: program the size of the program needs to be.
Plant People: Mmm.
David Wayne: And that in turn is going to. be better for our producers. in the long run You know, we can't. We can't determine that a program is needed if we don't know you're there.
David Wayne: You know that's the thing.
Plant People: Yeah, that's what I was wondering.
Alexis : Yeah.
David Wayne: if it
Plant People: i mean just you have to You have to know that it's there. yeah
David Wayne: Right even even with us and let's say a disaster declaration if if we do the
Plant People: Water.
David Wayne: the paperwork to get a disaster declaration for Kentucky.
Plant People: Yeah.
David Wayne: if it hits at a certain time and it's not impacting Um, you know, our our grain crops or livestock producers. and we don't know that it's impacted our specialty crop producers, then...
Alexis : Yeah.
David Wayne: We can't do that damage assessment, so.
Plant People: Yeah.
Alexis : you don't have the data
Plant People: Makes sense. Yeah.
Alexis : Right.
David Wayne: right yeah if so then in turn if they've done their crop reports then we can reach out and say Hey, we know we had you know this late freeze. Did it impact your special crops? And then we can start doing damage assessments.
David Wayne: And that could in turn actually trigger some disaster declarations that we wouldn't normally have had. Because we would have known the value. of the specialty crop.
Alexis : Mm -hmm
David Wayne: that was impacted.
Plant People: Yeah, draws attention to it, I guess.
David Wayne: Right for sure.
Alexis : Where do you all pull the...
David Wayne: we We need to know you there
Plant People: Yeah.
Alexis : Yeah. Where do you all pull the values that you use for specialty crop? I mean, I know it's it's probably different or I assume it's different for you know corn, soybean, maybe even cattle. but you know,
Alexis : your apple or apple orchards or whatever where where are you all pulling that information from.
David Wayne: So we do use math. the National Ag stat Statistics Service. quite a bit. uh you know to gather that data as well. but ah We have the ability to set local.
David Wayne: values for crops. So if we do think we have a concentration of, you know, West Kentucky is becoming a specialty crop hub now because of the movement away from some of the tobacco crops.
Alexis : Mm hmm.
Alexis : Mm hmm.
Plant People: Oh.
David Wayne: uh well actually communicate with those producers and have them submit. Uh, you know sales tickets or something like that so we can set a Kentucky specific even sometimes county specific value.
Alexis : Mm hmm.
David Wayne: for that crop. So it really just depends on if if we know there's a concentration. of a particular crop then we can use local data to do that. but lots of times we don't have that so then we're using neighboring states or you'll have a national average you know we're we're basing something off of
Plant People: Thanks.
Alexis : is it
Plant People: Yeah.
Alexis : Yeah.
Plant People: Maybe off base or who knows
David Wayne: yeah two or three states away just because we don't have the data here so again like if if we have the data we will use it
Alexis : Mm hmm.
Alexis : Right. Yeah, i think I think that is... you know, as as we move forward, trying to... encourage more growers to do this just any little extra tidbit you know you talked about if we know that people are growing lettuce we can tell people we need help for this or you know whatever and then these random payments like there's many different levels of this you know report your crops And... there's so many different ways of benefits and you know because we've i've heard people say oh well
Alexis : You know, I'm not going to worry about, you know. doing my crop report because i'm not going to get anything for my crop if it is flooded or whatever but but what you're to what you're saying
Alexis : There is, if more people reported and we had more of this information to go off of, you're going to get Kentucky -based prices, not Michigan -based prices for your apples or whatever that is. And and that's that's great to hear because I think a lot of people think, oh, I'm just going to get you know pennies on the dollar for because they don't realize I sell at farmer's markets. Well, you know it's a different price point than a wholesale market, right? so um
Alexis : but But just, that's great. Great to hear. And hopefully all of you out there who have been putting off your crop report are also hearing it and saying, wow, I should really do my crop report, especially before I wrote it down, December 15th, before you plant anything and before December 15th, that's your next window. Is that right?
David Wayne: Yeah, December 15th, the next one's coming up. But like I said, there are some, we do have some unique deadlines for different crops.
Alexis : ah
David Wayne: ah And it gets cumbersome. And that's where I would say like right now, if you're thinking, oh, I'm going to plant something this fall. for the spring stop by the office and we'll give you the calendar that says like oh strawberries is september 1st or you know what have you like those little unique
Alexis : Mm hmm.
Alexis : Is that easily accessible online too?
David Wayne: God bless you.
Alexis : We could like post that in our show notes if that's.
David Wayne: Yeah, I can
Alexis : easily available.
David Wayne: yeah i'll get you the i'll get you the link for that and
Jessica : That would be, yeah, good one for extension offices.
Alexis : Awesome.
Plant People: Yeah, that'd be really helpful.
Jessica : to...
Alexis : Yeah. And I think they could send it out in their, yeah, their newsletters.
Plant People: Yeah.
Jessica : to share around.
Alexis : Exactly.
Jessica : mm -hmm
Alexis : Just like, Hey guys, don't forget. um There's just a ah lot of ways to get this info out.
Plant People: Deadlines coming up.
Alexis : We can put it out on our CCD newsletter. Sorry. I'm eating it off topic, but I'm just really excited. that like FSA wants to work because there's just kind of this. old brain thing going on that they don't work with horticulture people that's a lie it's always probably been a lie but um to know that people like you are out there and excited to work with you know, more specialty crop people is just very, is very exciting for for me.
David Wayne: Yeah, i'll I'll give you an example so We had a group of producers reach out to us from the purchase region. And they... specifically how they were raising cucumbers.
David Wayne: Um, was a higher yield than what our national average that we were using so ah myself and the local county executive executive director actually had a meeting with them. They talked about the process.
David Wayne: um uh you know the trellis system they're using and they gave real data of their
Alexis : Mm hmm.
David Wayne: higher yields than what our set yield that we were using in that nat program so we're actually able to take that to the state committee they approved a higher yield for that type of production and that That's the process that I would like to take is.
Alexis : Yeah.
Jessica : That's awesome.
David Wayne: We want it to be more reflective of what's actually happening.
Alexis : mm -hmm
David Wayne: out there on the farm so in these instances if if if we do know you're there and and you know you come to us and say like hey this really isn't reflective of of... what's actually. on my farm uh you know we're i'd love to talk to those producers and uh or those groups and make our programs more beneficial to them.
Alexis : Aww, I'm so excited. I feel, I feel, I don't know, I'm just... i'm overwhelmed with excitement of just the more i learn about fsa and the more i'm like gonna tell every farmer i know have you signed up for crop insurance do you know Do you know that you should do this?
Alexis : It's... Your county people are going to be like, who is this? been telling people about this.
Brett: David, is this the type of reception that you usually receive?
Alexis : We haven't stopped.
Brett: Is this and is this a typical?
Alexis : yeah
Jessica : excitement like this.
David Wayne: And... everyone is so excited to talk to me and you know i
Plant People: Alexa starts using her hands, just kind of.
David Wayne: I... It's usually people clap when I walk through hallways, you know, I kind of think no nothing like that
Plant People: Yes.
David Wayne: ah i would say As you were saying that, it kind of... I was chuckling a little bit to myself, but uh my kids get very aggravated with it because everywhere i go i'm like I see a farmer, I'm like, hey, have you done this?
David Wayne: You need to go do this. or like And they're like, dad, can we just go? And I'm like, no, I need to talk to these people.
Brett: Yeah.
Plant People: No, we can't
David Wayne: And. right so i i'm very i'm passionate about it and i love what i do and What? I don't want to see farmers miss out on what's available to them.
David Wayne: uh so You know, that's, that's why I like to have these conversations. the do podcasts and and get to talk to great folks that I know are going to carry that message out to to their listeners as well.
David Wayne: I'm here to serve the farmer and I'll... Um, be as excited and passionate about it as I can be to help help every farmer that I can. and And I know somewhere I'm going to miss somebody. and there.
David Wayne: It's disheartening. I want to think that every farmer is going to come in. come in and grace the the counter at the FSA office, but I'm gonna keep trying until I can't get everybody.
Alexis : Well, we will ah help spread the message out there until your county offices are like, could you just like tell Alexis to stop telling people to come in? That'd be great.
Plant People: Heh heh heh.
Alexis : um I will use that aggressive excitement I have to be like, go do it.
David Wayne: We knew.
David Wayne: go do it that's right like and yeah guilt them into it say go do it go do it you're hurting everybody else if you don't yeah
Plant People: Yeah. You got your farm number.
Alexis : That's the... So the thing, yeah, yeah. Listen, I'm not above the guilt trip at all. So.
Plant People: She's really not no
Brett: Yeah, I think we got to tie it into the like Kentucky pride, Kentucky exceptionalism thing that like.
Alexis : mm -hmm Well, yeah, put Kentucky on the map.
Brett: well because the story you know it's like california man They all, their specialty crop operations are signing up for this stuff.
Alexis : man
Plant People: Man, they're counted.
Brett: They have a high visibility.
Plant People: They're they're being counted.
Brett: They're getting all the specialty crop block block grant dollars.
Alexis : ah
Brett: What are we doing? You know?
Alexis : Maybe we can keep track of how many are Louisville basketball versus Kentucky basketball fans.
Jessica : It's true.
Alexis : And then we can be like.
Brett: oh wow
Plant People: Now you're just meddling, Alexis. Man, you're stirring it up.
Brett: Yeah.
Alexis : There's more Louisville basketball fans signed up for crap reporting.
Brett: Hold on.
Plant People: you Wow. Wow.
Brett: hold Hold on.
Plant People: Oh man.
Alexis : ah
Plant People: It's like the big blue blood drive or whatever, except it's like the big blue.
Alexis : Yeah, yeah
Jessica : You got to put like Tennessee against Kentucky.
Plant People: Prop driver, whatever.
Brett: Yeah, make it like tenant yeah Tennessee.
Jessica : Yeah.
Plant People: Yeah, there you go. The big orange crush. I don't think so.
Brett: And run it during run it during football season when we're having trouble competing otherwise.
Jessica : Right. Yep.
Plant People: Distract.
Alexis : there we go
Plant People: Distract.
Alexis : We need to win somehow.
Plant People: Yes.
Jessica : It can be one of the commercials.
Brett: That's right.
Alexis : We'll win through crop reporting.
Jessica : Yeah.
Plant People: Hmm.
Alexis : David's like, i'm goingnna go I'm going to go tell more people about this.
David Wayne: I love it
Plant People: This. We have veered off
Jessica : Yeah.
David Wayne: I love it
Alexis : Awesome. Well, David, we really appreciate you being here. And don't be surprised if you see my name in your inbox. I have a million more questions and excitement.
Plant People: Spammed.
Alexis : He's just gonna be like junk immediately to say immediately to junk forward me to Angela Watson.
David Wayne: Alright.
Plant People: Yeah.
Jessica : yeah
Alexis : She'll be like her again.
David Wayne: What?
Alexis : So.
David Wayne: Yeah, i'm I'm glad you mentioned Angela so
Alexis : Anyway.
David Wayne: ah we We now have a dedicated position at Kentucky FSA for outreach. Angela has done a great job with that and she's passionate about agriculture and getting producers signed up.
David Wayne: But hopefully we've seen we have seen an increase in participation. since we've been able to have that position within the state.
Alexis : Awesome.
David Wayne: And I know she has made sure that my calendar is full. of events. uh as well so but but i love it i i love the the passion that she brings to the job and and I love.
Alexis : who
David Wayne: the passion that you all have for. for horticulture and your your growers out there. I do think sometimes that they they feel left out, but we do have something for them. and You can tell them like, hey.
David Wayne: David has been on He was a part of UK horticulture research for. uh, I think five years, five years yeah.
Plant People: He knows. He knows.
Jessica : he He under...
Alexis : He's put down many a drip tape folks, so
David Wayne: Yeah.
Jessica : He understands us, right?
David Wayne: Don't.
Alexis : He gets he gets it
Jessica : He gets it.
David Wayne: Yeah.
Brett: He has run over tensiometers in the truck.
Jessica : Okay. Yeah.
David Wayne: Right.
Plant People: Hmm.
David Wayne: Okay. He is torn plastic.
Alexis : it's fine
David Wayne: Yeah, yeah.
Alexis : It's fine. He's been there man.
David Wayne: What?
Jessica : yeah
Plant People: Inside out.
David Wayne: Been there.
Plant People: I love it. Love it.
Alexis : Well, yes, angela Angela is wonderful and a wealth of knowledge and she answers all my questions like um the patient person that she is. So we're we're grateful for her and grateful for you and looking out for all of our farmers around here. so If you're listening and you have a farm number or are eligible for a farm number, you're going to go right now and talk to your local county office and do your crop report and talk about it.
Alexis : And it's going to be great. And we're going to see an uptick in numbers. And we're really proud of you and grateful that you're doing that. And you can tell us when you leave us a five -star review, got my crop report done and leave us five stars.
Alexis : And we appreciate that and helps us get out to everybody else so that they can also do their crop report.
Brett: Take a selfie in front of the FSA office and tag us on Instagram.
Plant People: Do it.
David Wayne: ah
Alexis : Oh, love that.
Plant People: Do it.
Alexis : Yes. Tag us at Hort Culture Podcast.
David Wayne: Love it. I would love that.
Alexis : We need to come up with a tag of some kind. um But anyways, we appreciate you guys being here with us today and we hope you will join us next time. Have a great one.
