Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
More than $1.6 Million in Agricultural Development Funds Awarded

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 17, 2011) - The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board (KADB), chaired by Governor Steve Beshear, today approved $1,617,203 in 18 agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth during its November board meeting held at the Hyatt Regency.

State and regional investments included:

$300,000   Equine Economic Impact Survey
The Kentucky Horse Council Inc. was approved for $300,000 in state funds to conduct a comprehensive equine survey about the impact the entire equine has on the Commonwealth.

$40,000     Sheep & Goat Development
The Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office Inc. was approved for $40,000 in state funds to continue the services provided by the office to sheep and goat producers.

$515,000   Vineyard & Winery Technical Assistance
The Kentucky Vineyard Society Inc. was approved for $515,000 in state funds over two years to provide technical assistance and education to Kentucky's vineyards and wineries.

County investments approved included:

$16,960   Educational Facility Development
The Washington County Extension District Board was approved for $16,960 in Washington County funds for the renovation of an old tobacco barn into a farm family educational facility.

$7,000     Livestock Facility Renovation
The Metcalfe County Fiscal Court was approved for $7,000 in Metcalfe County funds to renovate the livestock arena at the fairgrounds to expand access to the grounds for agricultural events.

$19,000   Youth Greenhouse
The Hopkins County Board of Education was approved for $19,000 in Hopkins County funds for the construction of a greenhouse at Madisonville North Hopkins High School.

$15,000   Youth Heifer Chain
The Taylor County Cattlemen's Association Inc. was approved for $15,000 in Taylor County funds to offer a heifer chain program to youth in the county.

$1,776     4-H Country Ham Project
The Metcalfe County 4-H Council was approved for $1,776 in Metcalfe County funds to assist youth with their country ham projects.

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.  Five CAIPs were approved by the board totaling $547,538 for Breathitt, Edmonson, Estill, Madison and Rowan counties.

In addition to these new approvals, an additional $153,792 was approved to supplement existing CAIPs in the following counties:  Bracken, Clinton, Jackson and Mason.

The Deceased Farm Animal Removal Program (DAR) serves as a measure to facilitate the coordination of environmentally sound and cost-effective disposal of deceased livestock for Kentucky producers. One Deceased Farm Animal Removal Program was approved for Clinton County totaling $1,137.

Also during this meeting, the board approved policies and program changes that will take effect Jan. 1, 2012.  The following are highlights of the changes:

• Farmers' Market Infrastructure Competitive Grant program revised to include existing market expansion for 2012
   
• Various items added to select investment areas for cost-share in CAIP
   
• Equipment added to the Shared-Use Equipment program

These are just a few of the items adopted; for a complete listing, see the summary to the right or visit agpolicy.ky.gov.  

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Gov. Steve Beshear and the Kentucky 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 $364 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, made possible by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, represent just a few of the 3,906 projects approved, since the inception of the program in January 2001.