Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
Agricultural Development Funds Awarded

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (Oct. 15, 2010) - The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board (KADB), chaired by Gov. Steve Beshear, today approved $1,809,830 in 16 agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth during their October board meeting at Jackson’s Orchard and Nursery.

$24,000 Certified Kitchen Renovation
The Estill County Extension District Public Properties Corporation was approved for $24,000 in Estill County funds for the renovation of an existing kitchen into a certified kitchen for area farmers interested in value-added processing.

$4,630  Climatological Data Collection
The WKU Research Foundation Inc. was approved for $2,315 each in Hardin and Barren County funds for the addition of soil moisture/temperature and leaf wetness sensors to the current Mesonet stations located in each county to provide accurate weather data to farmers.

$10,000 Community Farming Center
Bardstown Mills Inc was approved for $10,000 in Nelson County funds for construction of a community greenhouse to provide area producers a location to market horticultural products.

$4,000  Greenhouse Development
ATP Greenhouses LLC was approved for $4,000 in Butler County funds for greenhouse equipment related to hydroponic tomato production.

$35,000 High School Greenhouse Expansion
The Allen County Board of Education was approved for $35,000 in Allen County funds to build a new greenhouse for the Allen County High School Agriculture Department to accommodate the growing popularity in the current greenhouse course.

$25,000 Slaughter Facility Construction
C & C Processing LLC was approved for $5,000 each in Grayson and Hart County funds and up to $15,000 in state funds.  Funds will be used for construction of a slaughter processing facility and related equipment.

The County Agricultural Investment Program (CAIP) is designed to provide farmers with incentives to allow them to improve and diversify their current production practices.  CAIP covers a wide variety of agricultural enterprises in its 11 investment areas.  CAIPs approved by the board totaled $1,677,200 and included the following six counties:  Boyle, Green, Kenton, Montgomery, Owsley and Washington.

The Deceased Farm Animal Disposal Assistance 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 Disposal Assistance Programs approved by the board totaled $20,000 and included the following three counties: Boyle, Mercer and Montgomery.

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.  Shared-use Equipment Programs approved by the board totaled $10,000 for Butler County.

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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 $333.7 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 3,706 projects that have been funded through the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, since the inception of the program in January 2001.