The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is focusing its newest effort on the mental health of the state’s agriculture community by providing a number of grant opportunities to groups that create and conduct local projects to show appreciation for farmers and farm families.

The opportunities are funded by part of a $500,000 grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the KDA this year.

The overall scope of the grant will allow the KDA to expand on a new campaign called “Raising Hope – Supporting Healthy Lives on Kentucky Farms.”

The campaign focuses strategies on the mental and physical health of agricultural producers by increasing awareness of the issue, normalizing the discussion of the topic, reducing the stigma of seeking help and showing farmer appreciation.

A total of $75,000 of the overall funds is available for small grants, up to $5,000 each, to be awarded to create and conduct local farmer-appreciation projects.

– More information is available online at kyagr.com/marketing/farmer- appreciation-grant.