State Resources
State Resources for your Use
Here are resources for Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Washington D.C.
Simply scroll down to find people who can help you with your project.
Arkansas
Resources for Value-Added Diversification
Arkansas is the only major agricultural state which has no program to encourage ethanol production. Arkansas is losing all its dairies one by one. More generally, Arkansas is the only state without a state program to facilitate value-added diversification. Several state legislators are working to develop such programs.
Find your Senator or Representative through the map or alphabetical lists on the Legislature’s website Legislature’s website.
Despite the lack of state programs, a number of individuals can help you create new rural enterprises:
Delta Land & Community
Coordinator: Jim Worstell
920 Hwy 153, Almyra, Arkansas 72003
Phone 870-673-6346 Fax 870-673-7219
Betty Nicholson
Arkansas Natural Dairy Products Alliance
2968 Hwy 95
Hattieville, AR 72063
Tel: 501-669-2544
Billy Moore
Dale Bumpers Family Farm Research Center
University of Arkansas Extension
6883 S Street. Hwy 23
Booneville, AR 72927
Tel: 501-675-5585
Fax: 501-675-2940
Arkansas Department of Agriculture
1 Natural Resources Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
Phone: 501-225-1598
Fax: 501-225-3590
Tel: 800-359-9614
Ed Martsolf
Hair Sheep Market Management Group
501-727-5659
Route 3, Box 463
Morrilton, AR 72110
Illinois
Information Resources
Mike Plumer
University of Illinois Extension
108 Airway Drive
Marion, Illinois 62959
Tel: 618-997-3819
Other agents available to assist in developing new enterprises in their areas.
Ruth Hambelton
618-242-9310
4112 N. Water Tower Place
Mount Vernon, IL
Midwest Program Manager
Heifer International
3944 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL 60618
Phn (773) 279-9696 or 800-359-9580
Fax (773) 279-9032
309-467-3789
P.O. Box 162
Eureka, IL 61530
309-298-2674
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455
Kentucky
Resources for Rural Enterprise
Kentucky is blessed with several talented facilitators
working in agriculture.
Appalachia Program Manager
Heifer International
110 North Maysville Street, Suite 100
Mt. Sterling, KY 40353
Ph 800-359-9581
At Community Farm Alliance a number of excellent organizers
have been building rural organizations for over a decade.
Director Deborah Webb
Community Farm Alliance
624 Shelby Street
Frankfort KY, 40601
Phone: 502-223-3655
Fax: 502-223-0804
For more details on the successful, but sometimes controversial methods of CFA and similar farm crisis organizations in other states
explore the classic organizing portion of this website.
Another excellent Kentucky rural enterprise facilitator are the folks at
620 S. Broadway
Suite 209
Lexington, KY 40508
Phone: 859-233-7845
Fax: 859-252-9255
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
has a number of resource people devoted
to value-added diversification — especially in the
Office of Agricultural Marketing & Product Promotion
is especially devoted to small farm enterprises.
Kentucky State University
P.O. Box 196
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: 502-227-6437
Fax: 502-227-5933
does a heroic job keeping up with
value-added diversification needs
especially in fruits and vegetables
University of Kentucky
402 Ag. Engineering Building
Department of Agricultural Economics
Lexington, Kentucky 40546
Tel: 859-257-7270
Fax: 859-323-1913
Other agents available to assist in developing new enterprises in their areas.
270-247-2334
251 Houseman St.
Mayfield, KY 42066
Harol Eli
270-885-8590
509 West 9th Street
Hopsonville, KY 42240
859-257-7276
416 Ag Eng Bldg.
Lexinton, KY 40546-0276
Greg Henson
270-273-3690
P.O. Box 265
Calhoun, KY 42327
270-237-3146
P.O. Box 355
Scottsville, KY 42164
270-685-8480
4800A New Hartford Rd.
Owensboro, KY 42303
502-365-7541
P.O. Box 469
Princeton, KY 42445
270-665-9118
P.O. Box 273
Lacenter, KY 42065
270-765-4121
201 Peterson Drive
Elizebethtown, KY 42701
Linda Young
270-389-1400
1938 US Highway 60
Morganfield, KY 42437
Kathy Keeney
270-554-9520
2705 Olive Church Rd.
Paducah, KY 42001
Glen Mackey
859-987-1895
603 Millersburg Rd.
Paris, KY 40361
270-826-8387
3341 Highway 351 East
Henderson, KY 42420
Louisiana
Information Resources
Cecil Brooking
Panola Plantation
Post Office Box 824
Ferriday, LA 71334-0824
Tel: 1318-757-3904
Fax: 1318-757-8581
Missouri
Resources for Value-Added Diversification
Missouri is in many respects the most advanced of the seven Delta states in value-added diversification.
Check out this UMC website for facilitators for your new enterprise.
And be sure to visit the website of the Ag Innovation Center, led by Deanne Hackman, in the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Deanne’s group has much to offer any Missouri group and great ideas for the rest of us too.
Missouri Alternatives Center
under the leadership of Debi Kelly has compiled the most complete set of diversification resources we’ve see anywhere:
from alpacas to watermelons (nothing on Zebras, yet).
Top notch Bootheel facilitator:
Van Ayers
University of Missouri Extension
600C Main Street
New Madrid, MO 63869
Phone: 573-748-5531
Fax: 573-748-9531
Email: ayersv@missouri.edu
A national resource on cooperatives:
Kristi Livingston and Dr. Mike Cook
Missouri Institute of Cooperatives
200 Mumford Hall
Columbia, Missouri, 65211
Phone: 573-882-0140
Fax: 573-882-3958
Email: LivingstonK@missouri.edu
Resources for Feasibility Analysis:
Missouri Value-Added Grant Program
Tony Stafford
Missouri Department of Agriculture
Jefferson City, Missouri
Phone: 573-526-6827
Fax: 573-522-5691
University of Missouri recently hired a director of research and extension who is dedicated to value-added diversification.
John Gardner
Associate Dean of Extension
University of Missouri
Columbia, Missouri 65201
Phone: 573-882-6385
Fax: 573-884-7993
Email: GardnerJ@missouri.edu
Other agents available to assist in developing new enterprises in their areas.
573-882-0870
Director of Missouri’s Value-Added program
143 Mumford Hall
Columbia, Missouri
573-324-5464
Courthouse, 115 West Main
Bowling Green, MO 63334
573-884-1725
143 C Munford Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
660-359-5643
700 Main
Trenton, MO 64683
573-581-3231
101 N. Jefferson St. Room 304
Mexico, MO 65265
573-882-1150
141 Mumford Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
Mississippi
Information Resources
Mississippi was the first state in the Delta to take value-added diversification seriously. One result was the astounding rise of catfish as a new enterprise in the Delta. The farmers who made this industry successful received crucial technical assistance from
Virgil Culver, Leader
Mississippi State University
Phone: 662-325-2160
Email: virgilc@ext.msstate.edu
Mississippi has a number of excellent state and non-profit facilitators:
One of the best for sustainable agriculture on small farms is:
Nan Johnson
day phone:662-915-1597
P O Box 167
Water Valley, MS 38965
Fax: 662-473-1578
Email: nan@olemiss.edu
In the Delta, see:
Dorothy Grady
Mississippians Engaged in a Greener Agriculture
phone: 662-398-7044
1502 Lake Street
Shelby MS 38774
Fax: 662-398-7044
Email: dgrady55@msn.com
Dr. Magid Dagher
Alcorn State University
Room 315 Administration Building
Alcorn State University
Alcorn, Mississippi 39096
Tel: 1601-877-3934
Fax: 1601-877-6219
Other potential resources include:
Heifer International
P.O. Box 23
New Augusta, MS 39462
800-359-9613
West Tennessee Resources
Peggy Hamlett, University of Tennessee Extension, is interested in helping you with any value-added agriculture project in Western Tennessee. She is assisting farmers with projects ranging from hydroponic tomatoes to beef cattle.
Peggy Hamlett
Area Specialist for Agricultural Development
Western Tennessee District
University of Tennessee Ext Service
605 Airways Blvd.
Jackson, TN 38301-3201
Phone: 901-425-4718
Fax: 901-425-4720
Email: pjhamlett@utk.edu
Pete Moss at Frazier, Barnes & Associates, LLC (FB&A) is eager to assist you in developing value-added projects in the Delta. FB&A is an innovator and leader in developing value-added agricultural projects. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, Frazier Barnes & Associates provides a broad range of value-added services throughout North & South America and experience with projects ranging in size from a few thousand dollars to over $40 million.
Frazier, Barnes & Associates, LLC
1835 Union Avenue, Suite 110
Memphis, TN 38104
Phone: (901)725-7258
Fax: (901)725-7245
E-Mail: fba@frazierbarnes.com
The best resource for organic agriculture in the Delta in Tennessee is:
Donaldson Family Farms
PO Box 224
Tiptonville, Tennessee 38079
Tel: 731-253-9786
Cell: 731-676-8492
Website: www.donaldsonfarms.com
Lorna has pioneered organic crops and bottomland hardwood restoration in the Northern Delta.
Other excellent facilitators of value-added diversification in Western Tennessee are:
901-642-2941
P.O. Box 188
Paris, TN 38242
Bob Williams
731-364-3164
P.O. Box 168
Dresden, TN 38225
Washington D.C.
Information Resources
Dr. Randall Torgerson
USDA Rural Development/Cooperative Services
Stop 3250
Washington, D.C. 20250-3250
Phone: (202)720-7558
Fax: (202)720-4641
Email: coopinfo@rurdev.usda.gov
Website: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov