The SOAR Small Production Loan Fund is a low-interest financing resource designed to assist small producers grow healthy, nutrional foods so that they can move into commercial production. The goal is to support and educate growers to develop a strong local food system in eastern and southern Kentucky that will be market-supported and result in a profit for the growers.
A key feature of the SOAR Small Production Loan Fund is the participation of Grow Appalachia. The organization will meet with participants where they live and address their specific needs as gardeners and food producers. Grow Appalachia works with non-profit organizations in each of the counties so that there is always a local resource. Each Grow Appalachia participant chooses from classes offered by their partner sites throughout the year on topic such as garden planning, planting and maintenance, healthy-heart cooking and up-to-date food processing and preservation techniques. Grow Appalachia also has excellent contacts to help growers market their products.
Almost all food-related producers are eligible to participate in the program, including fruit and vegetable growers, beekeepers, livestock, gardeners of herbs, markets who want to grow their own products and many more.
All growers in the entire 54-county SOAR service region are eligible for financing through the SOAR Small Production Loan Fund. Any grower within the SOAR area that wishes to participate in the project is eligible at any time