Kara Keeton, Communications Director
Angela Blank, Communications Officer
Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy
(502) 564-4627
http://agpolicy.ky.gov

The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Governor Ernie Fletcher, approved $832,613 in agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth at the monthly Board Meeting on October 15 at the Lake Cumberland State Resort Park in Russell County. At this meeting the Board took action only on model program requests and amendments. The Board participated in a special planning session for the remainder of the meeting.

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 $192,750 and included:

$25,000 Clinton County
$80,000 Green County
$30,000 Muhlenberg County
$42,000 Washington County
$15,750 Washington 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 $186,625 and included:

$65,000 Green County
$93,125 Montgomery County
$28,500 Trigg 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 $1,185 and included:

$1,185 Trigg County

The 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 $27,561 and included:

$12,000 Daviess County
$15,561 Trigg 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 $40,000 and included:

$40,000 Russell 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 $90,290 and included:

$46,290 Daviess County
$44,000 Taylor 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 $294,202 and included:

$    7,202 Daviess County
$136,500 Green County
$  51,500 Kenton County
$  18,000 Taylor County
$  28,500 Trigg County
$  52,500 Washington 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 1850 proposals committing 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.

###