FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky State University (KSU) launched its first-ever Tractor School this past August at the Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, a three-day training session that gave beginning farmers hands-on experience in tractor operation, maintenance and mechanized production practices essential for scaling up production, officials said.

The project, called “Farming for Cash: A Training Program Leading to Farm Ownership,” was funded in 2024 by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.

“Many new farmers come from non-farming backgrounds and start small,” said Siddhartha Dasgupta, KSU professor and associate research director for the land grant program in the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources, who serves as project director. “As they grow, they need to mechanize to compete in wholesale markets. Tractor School gave them the confidence and knowledge to take that critical next step.”

He told Farm World he developed the Tractor School concept at KSU after more than a decade of training beginning farmers.

“Many of the individuals we worked with were not from traditional farm families, where even children grow up learning how to use tractors,” he said. “Some of our student farmers were completely new to agriculture, while others came from nations where mechanized farming is not common.”

He said he also created the Tractor School because beginning farmers were finding it increasingly difficult to sell in direct-to-consumer markets, such as farmers markets.

“These outlets, which cater to small-scale or backyard growers, were becoming saturated with existing vendors,” he said. “To find new sales outlets, such as restaurants, grocery stores and produce auctions, farmers needed to scale up production to 2 to 5 acres. For producers with limited labor, mechanization is an essential part of both production and marketing success. Tractor School was designed to be that vital link in their agricultural training.”

During the training, he said farmers learned how to safely operate tractors, manage gears and hydraulics, and engage the power-take-off.

He said they also learned how to use the three-point hitch, well as practice routine maintenance such as oil changes and fluid checks, then applied their skills in the field.

“In the first Tractor School at Kentucky State, we engaged farmers who are operating small farms across Kentucky, including some urban growers,” he said. “Most had been relying on tillers as their primary mechanized equipment.”

He said many participants especially appreciated learning how to use KSU’s old Ford tractor in combination with implements such as a moldboard plow (a piece of farm equipment with a curved metal plate – the moldboard – that slices, lifts and inverts the soil, burying crop residue and weeds), and a plastic mulch layer (an agricultural implement used to automatically apply plastic sheeting, known as plastic mulch, to the soil), “because their goal is to farm larger tracts of land.”

He added, “The urban growers were excited to work with our walk-behind tractor equipment, where we taught them to use rotary plows, cultivators, a plastic mulch layer, and even a potato seeder and harvester.”

This first-ever Tractor School also included a presentation on small-scale grain and oilseed production from KSU Agronomist Anuj Chiluwal, where he noted the rising demand for specialty organic grains among bakeries and feed mills. Organizers said future training could include demonstrations with small-scale harvesting equipment such as combines, reapers and threshers to meet this emerging interest.

Marcus Bernard, KSU dean of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources and director of the land grant program, said participants in the first session included farmers from Louisville, African immigrant farmers in Fayette County, and a farmer from Nepal in South Asia.

“Based on evaluations, all participants found the experience enjoyable and valuable,” he said. “Several commented that three days were not enough, and they encouraged us to extend future sessions. Those who drove a tractor for the first time in their lives said the training brought them one step closer to realizing their dream of farming larger properties.”

Plans are now being made to expand the Tractor School into a five-day program in 2026, opening the opportunity to more beginning farmers from across the state, and beyond, he said.

“Kentucky State is committed to supporting beginning farmers with the tools and training they need to succeed,” Bernard said. “Our work is meant to be impactful, improving lives and strengthening the health of our communities. Tractor School is another way the university is helping producers grow their businesses, support their families, and contribute to a stronger Kentucky.”