At its October 2004 Planning Meeting, the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board approved new Competitive Awards Programs in Agri-tourism and Farmers’ Markets for 2005. These programs will provide state funding on a competitive basis for two agriculture industries that are growing in Kentucky’s agricultural economy.

The 2005 Agri-tourism Competitive Awards Program is a $1.0 million competitive funding program for agri-tourism businesses and regional agri-tourism marketing efforts. Applications for the competitive awards will be accepted in two rounds in 2005: February 1 and August 1. Applications will be scored according to a pre-determined, specified criteria, of which highest points will be awarded to projects that show viability and have significant impact on multiple producers.

The 2005 Farmers’ Market Competitive Grants Program is a $1.5 million grants program for regional and community farmers’ markets across the state. The $1.5 million will be divided into the following investment areas: $975,000 (65%) for regional markets, $375,000 (25%) for community markets, and $150,000 for market feasibility studies (10%). Requests for regional markets over $100,000 will be required to have a completed feasibility study. Applications for the competitive grants will be accepted in two rounds in 2005: January 1 and July 1.

Kentucky has made a historic effort to diversify away from tobacco production while revitalizing the farm economy by investing 50% of Kentucky's Master Settlement Agreement into the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.  To date Kentucky has invested over $165 million to an array of county, regional, and state projects designed to increase net farm income and create sustainable new farm-based business enterprises. The Bracken County project represent just one of the over 1850 projects that have been funded through Agricultural Development Fund, since the inception of the program in January 2001.

For more information regarding model cost-share programs contact the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy at (502) 564-4627.

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