Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
$1,363,713 Invested in Kentucky Agricultural Diversification

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 20, 2009) -The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Governor Steve Beshear, approved $1,363,713 in agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth during their monthly board meeting on Friday, February 20 at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Ky.

Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund projects approved for funding at the February meeting include:

*Note: Because of the “Blackout Period”, no model programs were considered for funding at this meeting, so that feedback may be obtained for 2009 policy revisions.

$12,500           Bullitt County Board of Education

The Bullitt County Board of Education was approved for $12,500 in Bullitt County funds to purchase computer for the Bullitt Central High School Vocational Agriculture Department. Students will learn the essential skills to become computer literate and help producers mange their farming operations.

For more information on this project contact Michael Peake with the Bullitt Central High School Vocational Agriculture Department at (502) 543-2271.

$104,679         Central Kentucky Custom Meats, Inc.

Central Kentucky Meats, Inc. (CKCM) was approved for $104,679 in state funds as zero interest loan to purchase necessary equipment and make renovations to expand its product and service offerings. CKCM is a custom livestock processing facility in Casey County that offers a retail component, custom slaughter and USDA processing.

For more information on this project contact Jerome Salyers with CKCM at (606) 787-4851.

$1,000,000      Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation, Inc.

The Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation, Inc. was approved for $1,000,000 in state funds as a zero interest loan to create a large/food animal veterinary incentive program to support licensed veterinarian/technicians practicing large/food animal medicine in Kentucky. This program would provide the approved recipients with $6,000 per year for a maximum of three years or $18,000 of the student’s veterinary college loans.

For more information on this project contact Dave Maples with the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation, Inc. at (859) 245-7054.

$60,000           Kentucky Farmers’ Market Association, Inc.

The Kentucky Farmers’ Market Association, Inc. (KFMA) was approved for $60,000 in state funds to support a multi-faceted approach to increase sales at farmers’ markets throughout Kentucky. This includes providing equipment necessary for farmers’ markets to accept debit cards and food stamps; improve food safety by providing 40 markets with approved sampling and food handling stations; training vendors to use innovative marketing techniques and Rapid Market Assessments; and contract a part-time manager for KFMA.

For more information on this project contact Janet Eaton with the KFMA at (859) 494-3033.

$50,000           Media Working Group, Inc.

The Media Working Group, Inc. was approved for $50,000 in state funds to produce a television documentary featuring the transition of Kentucky farms as result of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. This program will also highlight the efforts of the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.

For more information on this project contact Jean Donohue with the Media Working Group, Inc. at (859) 581-0033.

$130,000         South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation

The South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (SKRECC) was approved for $130,000 in state funds to develop an in-depth plan for a beef processing plant in southeastern Kentucky. The business plan will be a guide for construction, staffing and operation of the facility that would produce beef jerky, beef snack foods and pork rinds.

For more information on this project contact Bennie Garland with SKRECC at (270) 866-8383.

$6,534             Todd County Fiscal Court

Todd County Fiscal Court was approved for $6,534 in Todd County funds to cost-share on the dead animal removal program.

For more information on this project contact Arthur Green with the Todd County Fiscal Court at (270) 265-9966 ext.224.

Governor Beshear and the General Assembly 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 $280 million to an array of county, regional and state projects designed to increase net farm income and create sustainable new farm-based business enterprises. The diversification programs represent more than 3,411 projects that have been funded through the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, since the inception of the program in January 2001.