Dr. Tim Woods, Ph.D.

Program Director

Tim Woods is the Program Director and an Extension Professor in the University's Department of Agricultural Economics.

Credentials:

B.S. - Agricultural Economics, Purdue University

M.S. - Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M

Ph.D. - Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University

Dr. Tim Woods is interested in Agribusiness Management and Marketing, in addition to Horticultural enterprises with an emphasis on commodity marketing. Dr. Woods manages studies of Kentucky Consumer households and carries out a variety of Farmer's market, small producer as well as industry wide studies. He established the MarketReady Producer Training Program to assist producers and manufacturers in preparing to enter or expand into new food markets such as restaurants, commercial, institutional, and retail markets.

The MarketReady Training program addresses the business practices and risks small farmers and ranchers must manage as they develop supplier relationships with restaurant, retail, and wholesale buyers. While significant opportunity exists to build on the demand for local products in local markets, many farmers are unprepared to meet the transactional requirements set by these buyers in order for them to manage their own food safety, insurance, product quality, and traceability risks. The MarketReady training program has been developed to help better equip growers to more successfully enter new markets. The training is based around best business practices identified by buyers in these markets that are actively seeking local suppliers.