Kara Keeton, Communications Director
Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy
(502) 564-4627
agpolicy.ky.gov

The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Governor Ernie Fletcher, approved $588,822 in agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth at the monthly Board Meeting on March 19 at the History Center in Frankfort.

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

$3,379             Cumberland Gap Goat Producers Association

The Cumberland Gap Goat Producers Association was approved for $3,379 in Knox County funds to purchase commercial vegetable equipment to establish a shared-use program for all Knox County producers.

$10,000           Southern Kentucky Regional Farmers’ Market, Inc.

The Southern Kentucky Regional Farmers’ Market, Inc. was approved for $10,000 in Warren County funds to establish a regional producer-only farmer’s market in Bowling Green.

$5,200             Washington County Cattlemen’s Association, Inc.

The Washington County Cattlemen’s Association was approved for $5,200 in Washington County funds to continue the Youth Master Cattlemen’s Program to support and encourage the youth in Washington County that are interested in the dairy and beef industries. 

$60,640           Washington County Cattlemen’s Association, Inc.

The Washington County Cattlemen’s Association was approved for $60,640 in Washington County funds to continue a three-year program that includes funding for three model programs and record keeping system called Cattle Herd Appraisal Program (CHAPS). 

County model programs are designed to provide farmers with cost-share funding to allow them to improve and diversify their current production practices. The Agricultural Diversification program is designed to assist in the transition into ten new areas of agriculture including dairy, aquaculture, and horticulture. The Fencing Improvement program improves net farm income through improved pasture quantity, quality and efficient use of fencing for livestock producers.

The Forage Improvement program improves pastures to allow for improved grazing by animals, reducing producer costs for feed, and improving feed quality.  The Cattle Handling and Cattle Genetics programs allow for assistance to purchase equipment and animals to improve the health and profitability of cattle.  The Goat Diversification program works to assist producers to venture into this relatively new area of agriculture in Kentucky.  The Hay, Straw, & Commodity Storage program allows producers to increase the quality and marketability of products to improve the overall farm income.  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. The following is a list of county model programs that were approved for funding at this meeting.

County Agricultural Diversification Programs approved by the Board totaled $75,000 and included:

$75,000           Mason County

County Fencing Improvement Programs approved by the Board totaled $168,383 and

included:

$  12,633       Caldwell County                   

$100,000       Green County

$  15,750       Lee County                           

$  40,000       Mercer County         

County Forage Improvement Programs approved by the Board totaled $71,000 and

included:

$21,000           Lincoln County                     

$50,000           Spencer County

County Cattle Genetics Improvement Programs approved by the Board totaled $13,633 and included:

$12,633           Caldwell County                   

$  1,000           Webster County

County Goat Diversification Programs approved by the Board totaled $20,000 and included:

$20,000           Mercer County                                 

County Cattle Handling Programs approved by the Board totaled $64,563 and

included:

$60,000           Shelby County                      

$  4,563           Webster County

County Hay, Straw and Commodity Storage Programs approved by the Board totaled $97,024.02 and included:

$21,000           Lee County                           

$40,000           Mason County

$36,024           Wolfe County

Kentucky’s Legislature has made an 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.  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 1500 proposals committing over $150 million to an array of county, regional, and state projects designed to increase net farm income and create sustainable new farm-based business enterprises.

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