Savannah is a Lexington, KY native and has always had an interest in Kentucky agriculture. She received her B.S. in Agricultural Economics in December of 2018 from the University of Kentucky and is currently pursuing her M.S. part-time in the same program. Savannah also graduated with a minor in Sustainable Agriculture upon completing her Bachelor’s Degree and is currently working towards a minor in Spanish in conjunction with her graduate study. Savannah has spent many years working with community-supported agriculture operations and local food production systems. Before joining the Department of Agricultural Economics, Savannah was the Assistant Director of Farm Services at a 38-acre automated greenhouse that specialized in hemp and annual flower production in Central Kentucky.

Savannah's work with extension is in specialty crop marketing and agribusiness. She specializes in direct-to-consumer marketing, crop production operations, and on-farm efficiency; her focus is horticulture topics and local food systems. Savannah works with the Center for Crop Diversification and the MarketReady Producer Training Program.

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Meet the Team | AEC Extension: Savannah Columbia

Recent Publications

Columbia, S., B. Wolff (2023) Three-Year Average Prices & Quantities at Kentucky Produce Auctions: 2020-2022. CCD-FS30. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification. Available: www.uky.edu/ccd/pricereports/KYPA/KYPA3yravg

Columbia, Savannah L and Melanie Stock. (2021). Cut Flowers for Community Supported Agriculture Production. CCD-MR-2. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Available: http://www.uky.edu/ccd/marketready/CutFlowerCSA

Columbia, Savannah L. (2021). Product Liability Insurance Importance and FAQs. CCD-MR-1. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Available: http://www.uky.edu/ccd/marketready/ProductLiabilityInsurance 

Columbia, S., A. Butler, B. Wolff, T. Woods(2020)Three-Year Average Prices & Quantities at Kentucky Produce Auctions: 2017-2019.CCD-FS-17. Lexington, KY: Center for Crop Diversification. Available: www.uky.edu/ccd/pricereports/KYPA/KYPA3yravg-19  

Grant Work

Specialty Crop Block Grant: Marketing for All 3.0: Marketing and Branding Academy. Collaborators: Dr. Timothy Woods, Brett Wolff, Camille Dant, and Emily Spencer. 

Appalachian Regional Commission POWER Initiative Grant: Growing Eastern KY’s Controlled Environment Production Ecosystem. Collaborators: Community Farm Alliance, Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Kentucky Center for Ag & Rural Development, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Fresh Harvest, Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association, Kentucky State Horticulture Society, Kentucky Vegetable Growers Associate, NL Works, and University of Kentucky (Departments of Agricultural Economics, Horticulture, and Plant Pathology). October 2022-September 2025.

Specialty Crop Block Grant: New Digital Tools and Marketing Strategies for a Post-COVID-19 Marketplace. Collaborators: Dr. Timothy Woods, Brett Wolff, and Emily Spencer. October 2021-September 2024.

Specialty Crop Block Grant: Integrating Post-COVID Cut Flower Demand into Market Education. Collaborators: Dr. Timothy Woods and Dr. Shuoli Zhao. September 2021-September 2025.

 Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program: Innovations for CSA Market Development and Shareholder Expansion - Marketing and Metrics. Collaborators: Dr. Timothy Woods, Jairus Rossi, Carrie Sedlak, Tess Romanski, Michelle Wyler, Corinna Bench, Katie Himes, Cindy Finneseth, Bethany Prekopa. September 2021-Septmeber 2024.

Local Food Promotion Program Grant: Kentucky Local Food System Expansion Initiative. Collaborators: Dr. Timothy Woods and the Kentucky Center for Ag & Rural Development. 

Specialty Crop Block Grant: Blackberry Exclusion Netting. Collaborators: Dr. Timothy Woods, Dr. David Gonthier, and Dr. Ryan Kuesel.