Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
Agricultural Development Funds Awarded
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 16, 2009) -The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Gov. Steve Beshear, approved $1,802,717 in 21 agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth, during their monthly board meeting.
The following investments were made with Kentucky Agricultural Development Funds:
$14,690 Agricultural Leadership Cost-share Program
The Washington County Cattlemen Association was approved for $14,690 in Washington County funds for a cost-share program to allow farmers to participate in agriculture related leadership programs.
$42,025 Agricultural Pavilion Expansion
The Lions Club Inc. of Temple Hill was approved for $42,025 in Barren County funds for the expansion of an existing pavilion to increase capacity for their growing agriculture events.
$35,000 Farm Marketplace
The Grant County Fair Inc. was approved for $35,000 in Grant County funds to construct a marketplace for local farmers to market farm-raised products and provide a commercial kitchen for adding value to those products.
$358,904 Food Systems Innovation Center
The University of Kentucky was approved for $358,904 in state funds for the development of the Food Systems Innovation Center to help create healthy, profitable, safe and legal value-added Kentucky food products.
$2,500 Kentucky Proud Retail Expansion
Jackson’s Orchard & Nursery was approved for $2,500 in Warren County funds to purchase and install freezer units to expand their Kentucky Proud product offering.
$68,913 Kentucky Proud Retail Renovation
Pelly’s Farm Fresh was approved for $10,000 in state funds as a grant, $48,913 in state funds as a zero-interest loan, and $10,000 in Warren County funds for the renovation of an existing milking parlor into a retail sales outlet for Kentucky Proud products.
$53,000 Livestock Arena & Education Facility
Nicholas County Fiscal Court was approved for $53,000 in Nicholas County funds to construct a facility that will hold a livestock arena and educational facilities for youth and adults.
$75,000 Livestock Marketing Facility
The Grant County Cattlemen’s Association was approved for $75,000 in Grant County funds to construct a livestock marketing and exhibit arena.
$75,000 Purchase of Development Rights
The Fayette County Rural Land Management Board Inc. was approved for $75,000 in Fayette County funds for a purchase of conservation easements program.
$15,000 Purchase of Development Rights
The Thoroughbred RC& D Council, on behalf of the Woodford County Rural Land Board, was approved for $15,000 in Woodford County funds for a purchase of conservation easements program.
$15,000 Sorghum Processing Facility
Cravens Farm Greenhouse was approved for $8,750 in state funds and $5,000 in Clinton and $1,250 in Cumberland County funds for the establishment of a sorghum molasses processing facility, as well as expansion of their greenhouse operation.
The County Agricultural Investment Program is designed to provide farmers with incentives to allow them to improve and diversify their current production practices. C.A.I.P. covers a wide variety of agricultural enterprises in its eleven investment areas.
County Agricultural Investment Programs approved by the Board totaled $1,042,500 and included:
$120,000 Bath County Conservation District
$365,000 Breckinridge County Conservation District
$287,500 Nicholas County Fiscal Court
$150,000 Wayne County Agriculture Development Council
$120,000 Wolfe County Conservation District
The Deceased Farm Animal Removal Program serves as an interim measure to facilitate the coordination of environmentally sound and cost effective disposal of deceased livestock for Kentucky producers. County Deceased Farm Animal Removal Programs approved by the Board totaled $13,415 and included:
$7,500 Fleming County Fiscal Court
$5,915 Mason County Fiscal Court
The Pilot Farm Management Program is designed to encourage individual Kentucky producers to use one of three eligible farm management services and programs, which currently include Dairy Herd Improvement, Farm Business Analysis, and The Beef Connection LLC. Pilot Farm Management recipients approved by the Board totaled $1,770 and included:
$885 Barry W. James (Edmonson)
$885 Tom Pohlman (Edmonson)
The Shared-use Equipment Program is designed to impact a high number of producers who cannot justify ownership expenses associated with certain equipment by helping them access technology necessary to improve their operations in an economical manner. County shared-use equipment programs approved by the Board totaled $6,016 and included:
$6,016 Nicholas County Fiscal Court
###
Gov. Steve Beshear and the Kentucky Legislature continue to make great strides toward lessening Kentucky’s dependence on tobacco production while revitalizing the farm economy by investing 50 percent of Kentucky's Master Settlement Agreement into the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.
To date, Kentucky has invested more than $295.9 million to an array of county, regional and state projects designed to increase net farm income and create sustainable new farm-based business enterprises. These funding approvals represent just a few of more than 3,596 projects that have been funded through the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, since the inception of the program in January 2001.