Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
Agricultural Development Funds Awarded
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 21, 2009) -The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Gov. Steve Beshear, approved $3,326,241 in 38 agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth, during their monthly board meeting.
The following investments were made with Kentucky Agricultural Development Funds:
$220,000 Biofuels Research
Eastern Kentucky University was approved for $200,000 in state and $10,000 each in Madison and Clark County funds for the evaluation of biofuel feedstock forages for livestock consumption and biofuel production.
$3,000 Community Garden
The Bluegrass Community & Technical College Foundation Inc. was approved for $3,000 in Fayette County funds for the development and operation of a community garden to empower citizens to grow their own food and provide educational opportunities.
$5,000 Equine Education Facility
Twilight Riding School was approved for $2,500 in Clark and $2,500 in Fayette County funds to construct an equine education facility in Clark County.
$10,000 Farmer Welding Program
The Clark County Conservation District was approved for $10,000 in Clark County funds to provide beginning and advanced MIG welding programs to the county’s tobacco dependent farmers.
$16,000 Farmer Welding Program
The Elliott County Extension District Board was approved for $16,000 in Elliott County funds to provide beginning and advanced MIG welding programs to the county’s tobacco dependent farmers.
$6,120 Farmer Welding Program
The Breckinridge County Board of Education was approved for $6,120 in Meade County funds to provide beginning and advanced MIG welding programs for Meade County’s tobacco dependent farmers.
$50,000 Agricultural Marketing Complex
The Bath County Agricultural Extension Foundation Inc. was approved for $50,000 in Bath County funds to construct the third phase of their agricultural marketing complex – a store front/retail facility.
$4,700 Farmers’ Market Facility
The Elliott County Extension District Board was approved for $4,700 in Elliott County funds for the construction of a farmers’ market pavilion near the Elliott County Extension Office.
$75,000 Farmers’ Market Facility
The Harrison County Extension District Board was approved for $50,000 in state and $25,000 in Harrison County funds for the construction of a farmers’ market pavilion at the market’s current location.
$50,000 Farmers’ Market Facility
The City of Beaver Dam was approved for $48,000 in state and $2,000 in Ohio County funds for the construction of a farmers’ market pavilion in the city park of Beaver Dam.
$5,000 Farmers’ Market Study
The Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market Inc. was approved for $5,000 in Daviess County funds to conduct a feasibility study to determine if a permanent structure is a viable, productive option for the market and where it should be located.
$74,235 Livestock Education Facility
The Robertson County Board of Education was approved for $74,235 in Robertson County funds for the construction of a livestock facility to be utilized by the Deming Agriculture Department for local/regional agriculture education.
$9,000 Livestock Holding Facility Expansion
The Kentuckiana Livestock Market Inc. was approved for $5,000 in Daviess and $1,000 each in Hancock, Henderson, McLean and Ohio County funds for a corral pen to increase their holding capacity.
$862,634 Kentucky Beef Network
The Kentucky Beef Network LLC was approved for $862,634 in state funds to implement several production and marketing programs for cattle producers and to provide educational programs that enhance profitability.
$85,000 Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development
The Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development Office Inc. was approved for $85,000 in state funds for the continuing service of the education, promotion, and marketing needs of Kentucky sheep and goat producers.
$59,000 Pilot Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Project
The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Inc. was approved for $59,000 in state funds to implement a 12-month program for the development of agribusiness entrepreneurs.
$95,800 Tilapia Fingerling Nursery
Crystal Bridge Farm LLC was approved for a total of $95,800 in state funds for the development of a monosex culture system for producing male tilapia fingerlings. Of this amount, $61,550 will be in the form of a zero-interest loan for half the cost of facility construction and $34,250 will be in the form of a grant for half the purchase costs of tanks, filters, and other necessary equipment.
$15,000 Youth Production Cost-share Program
The Daviess County Conservation District was approved for $15,000 in Daviess County funds to continue a successful youth cost-share program for youth in the county to create or enhance a production project in the areas of crop (non-tobacco), forage, vegetable, livestock, or greenhouse.
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 $1,645,219 and included:
$150,000 Northern Kentucky Cattle Association (Boone)
$ 49,757 Carlisle County Conservation District
$196,216 Carter County Agriculture Advancement Council Inc.
$200,000 Christian County Conservation District
$350,000 Kentucky Ketch Inc. (Clay)
$ 46,218 Green River Area Beef Improvement Group (Henderson)
$ 62,119 Logan County Cattlemens Association Incorporated
$380,000 Pulaski County Conservation District
$150,000 Taylor County Cattlemen’s Association Inc.
$ 60,909 Whitley County Cattlemen’s Association Inc.
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 $29,533 and included:
$7,500 Christian County Fiscal Court
$2,500 Garrard County Fiscal Court
$2,333 Green County Conservation District
$7,500 Hart County Conservation District
$7,200 Taylor County Conservation District
$2,500 Warren County Conservation District
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 $6,000 and included:
$2,000 Buck Run Cattle Farm LLC (Boone)
$2,000 John Terlau (Boone)
$2,000 Dale F. Ryan (Boone)
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 $11,998 and included:
$11,998 Pulaski County Conservation District
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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 $293.2 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 3,565 projects that have been funded through the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, since the inception of the program in January 2001.