Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
Kentucky Agricultural Development Board changes policies for Farmers’ Market Competitive Awards Program

Frankfort, Ky- During the August Kentucky Agricultural Development Meeting, changes were made to policies for the Farmers’ Market Competitive Awards Program.

Applicants have requested to use non-County Agricultural Development Funds to match state Agricultural Development Funds in the Community Farmers’ Market section of the competitive program. Following a review, this request along with the program’s deadline for applications changed. The guidelines for the Community Farmers’ Market section are now as follows:

·        A County Agricultural Development Council must commit a minimum of $1,000 to a project for it to be eligible for state funds;

·        Funds provided by county-based agricultural organizations (i.e. County Farm Bureau, County Cattlemen Associations), county-based Agri-businesses and agricultural lenders shall make the project eligible for state funds on a dollar for dollar basis;

·        The total amount of state and county Agricultural Development Funds and contributions provided by county based agricultural organizations and businesses shall not exceed 50% of the total cost of the project cost. Thus, an applicant must provide a minimum of 50% of the total cost of the project in matching funds or approved in-kind donations; and

·        The maximum amount of state Agricultural Development Funds available through this program shall be $50,000.

Applications for this program will be taken until December 31, 2007. Revised guidelines can be found at http://agpolicy.ky.gov.

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