Kara Keeton, Communications Director
Angela Blank, Communications Officer
http://agpolicy.ky.gov/ 
(502) 564-4627

The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Governor Ernie Fletcher, approved $2,085,256 in agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth at the monthly Board Meeting on January 21 at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington, Kentucky.

Agricultural Development Fund Projects approved for funding at the January meeting include:

$148,000 Bracken County Agriculture Advancement Council, Inc.
Bracken County Agriculture Advancement Council, Inc. was approved for $148,000 in Bracken County funds to establish a pilot Hay Handling Equipment cost-share program in Bracken County.

$25,000 Clark County Extension District Board
The Clark County Extension District Board was approved for $25,000 in Clark County funds to help construct a service building to support agricultural educational activities and provide storage for shared-use equipment in Clark County.

$3,500 Cumberland County 4-H Council
The Cumberland County 4-H Council was approved for $3,500 in Cumberland County funds for the development of a youth livestock program to teach livestock judging, showing and proper animal husbandry techniques to youth in the county.

$84,915 Double J Feed Mill, Inc.
Double J Feed Mill, Inc. was approved for $84,915 in Owsley County funds to purchase milling equipment to be used in the construction the Double J Feed Mill in Owsley County.

$80,000 Kentucky Community and Technical College System
Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KTSTC) was approved for $80,000 in state funds to offer a specialized computer course to tobacco farmers in tobacco dependent counties. The course will teach producers how to effectively use computer technology to keep financial records, keep inventory and livestock records, do research and marketing on the internet, communicate through e-mail and other general computer functions.

$25,000 Kentucky Cowtown, LLC
Kentucky Cowtown, LLC was approved for $25,000 in Grant County funds towards the construction of a Coverall indoor arena to provide local cattle producers a centralized location to work their animals, group them together for cooperative marketing efforts, and provide a location for education events pertinent to the advancement of the beef industry in Grant County.

$24,500 Mountain Cattlemen’s Association
The Mountain Cattlemen’s Association was approved for $500 in Leslie, $2,000 in Perry, $3,000 in Breathitt and $19,000 in state funds to purchase a 3,840 cubic foot walk-in refrigeration unit for fruit growers and other producers in the region to store their fruit until sold.

$202,068 Washington County Cattlemen Association, Inc.
The Washington County Cattlemen Association, Inc. was approved for 202,068 in Washington County funds to implement a two year, menu approach offering six model programs that also includes reimbursement for participation in a CPH 45 sale and record keeping program.

$6,328 Western Kentucky University
The Western Kentucky University was approved for $1,000 in Edmonson and $1,332 in Allen, Barren, Metcalfe and Simpson counties to renovate an existing barn on the WKU farm to better accommodate goat performance testing trials.

County model programs are designed to provide farmers with cost-share funding to allow them to improve and diversify their current production practices. For more information regarding the sign-up period and guidelines of programs funded in a specific county please contact the County Extension Office.

The Agricultural Diversification program is designed to assist in the transition into eleven new areas of agriculture including dairy, aquaculture, and horticulture. County Agricultural Diversification Programs approved by the Board totaled $102,374 and included:

$50,000 Harrison County
$52,374 Woodford County

The Cattle Genetic Improvement program improves high quality herd genetics through the purchase of bulls, bull semen or bull leases. County Cattle Genetics Improvement Programs approved by the Board totaled $262,400 and included:

$75,000 Grayson County
$75,000 Harrison County
$25,500 Montgomery County
$41,000 Shelby County
$45,900 Todd County

The Cattle Handling Facilities program assists with the implementation of best management and health practices that augment efficient production and marketing opportunities for beef and dairy producers. County Cattle Handling Programs approved by the Board totaled $317,835 and included:

$75,000 Harrison County
$11,315 Logan County
$33,126 Mason County
$99,840 Nicholas County
$30,800 Todd County
$67,754 Woodford County

The Fencing Improvement program improves net farm income through improved pasture quantity, quality and efficient use of fencing for livestock producers.  County Fencing Improvement Programs approved by the Board totaled $364,887 and included:

$150,000 Clark County
$33,125 Mason County
$149,760 Nicholas County
$32,002 Woodford County

The Forage Improvement program improves pastures to allow for improved grazing by animals, reducing producer costs for feed, and improving feed quality.  County Forage Improvement Programs approved by the Board totaled $279,088 and included:

$75,000 Harrison County
$28,088 Marshall County
$19,000 Nicholas County
$30,000 Robertson County
$82,000 Shelby County
$45,000 Woodford County

The Goat Diversification program works to assist producers to venture into meat goat and dairy goat production.  County Goat Diversification Programs approved by the Board totaled $25,000 and included:

$15,000 Butler County
$10,000 Harrison County

The Hay, Straw, & Commodity Storage program allows producers to increase the quality and marketability of products to improve the overall farm income.  County Hay, Straw and Commodity Storage Programs approved by the Board totaled $100,000 and included:

$100,000 Robertson County

The On-Farm Water Enhancement program allows producers to adopt a proactive and systematic approach to expanding existing water supplies or to develop alternative water sources. County On-Farm Water Enhancement Programs approved by the Board totaled $19,000 and included:

$19,000 Woodford County

The Shared-use Equipment program allows producers to access technology and equipment necessary to improver their operations, but cannot justify ownership expenses associated with the equipment. County Shared-use Equipment Programs approved by the Board totaled $15,361 and included:

$7,325 Bracken County
$8,036 Lewis County

The Kentucky Legislature continues to make great strides towards lessening Kentucky’s dependence on tobacco production while revitalizing the farm economy by investing 50% of Kentucky's Master Settlement Agreement into the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund. Of this 50% allocation, 65% of the Fund is set aside for regional and statewide agricultural projects, while 35% is earmarked for individual counties on the basis of their tobacco dependence.  Since the inception of the program in January 2001, the Agricultural Development Board has approved over 1950 proposals committing over $169 million to an array of county, regional, and state projects designed to increase net farm income and create sustainable new farm-based business enterprises.