The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Gov. Steve Beshear, approved $5,410,335 in 50 agricultural diversification projects across the Commonwealth, during their monthly board meeting on June 19.
The following investments were made with Kentucky Agricultural Development Funds:
$105,000 Agricultural Sale & Show Facility
The Logan County Extension District Board was approved for $100,000 in Logan and $5,000 in Todd County funds for a multi-purpose agricultural facility for Logan and surrounding counties.
$90,000 Building Louisville’s Local Food Economy
The Louisville Jefferson County Metro Government Economic Development Department was approved for $87,750 in state funds and $500 each from Henry, Jefferson, Spencer, and Trimble Counties, as well as $250 from Oldham County, for a Public Interest Broker who will coordinate direct farmer access to Louisville food markets.
$60,000 Farms to Food Banks
God’s Pantry Food Bank Inc. was approved for $10,000 in Bath County, $5,000 each from Fayette, Lincoln, and Pulaski Counties, $2,500 each from Clark and Scott Counties, and $30,000 in state funds. These funds will be used for the purchase and distribution of 15 types of Kentucky grown surplus produce for low-income clients throughout their 50 county service area in central and eastern Kentucky.
$1,000 Regional Strategy for Biobased Products in the Mississippi Delta
The Memphis Bioworks Foundation was approved for $250 each from Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, and Graves county funds. These funds will be used for the development of a regional plan and implementation strategy to create new opportunities for producers by stimulating the development of value-added processing, spurring the commercialization of alternative crops, and creating jobs.
$3,500 Russell County Farmers’ Market
The Russell County Farmer’s Market Association Inc. was approved for $3,500 in Russell County funds for a mobile shelter for the farmers’ market.
$5,000 Scott County Farmland Preservation
The Thoroughbred RC&D Council was approved for $5,000 in Scott County funds for a purchase of conservation easements program.
$10,000 Shelby County Dead Animal Removal
The Shelby County Fiscal Court was approved for $10,000 in Shelby County funds to provide Shelby County residents free dead animal removal services for fiscal year 2009.
$10,000 Swine Production Project
The Kentucky Home Pork Producers of Nelson County were approved for $10,000 in Nelson County funds to provide new and existing swine producers the opportunity to build, modernize, or expand their facilities, purchase superior genetics, and provide value-added marketing opportunities.
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 $5,035,511 and included:
$398,000 Bourbon County Fiscal Court
$ 75,000 Breathitt County Conservation District
$ 90,000 Bullitt County Cattlemen’s Association, Inc.
$ 60,000 Butler County Conservation District
$ 34,847 Campbell County Conservation District
$149,000 Carroll Co. Agriculture Development Fund, Inc.
$243,439 Casey County Conservation District
$300,000 Clark County Conservation District
$ 90,000 Edmonson County Conservation District
$150,000 Estill County Conservation District
$139,103 Franklin County Cattlemen's Association, Inc.
$195,000 Grant County Cattlemen's Association, Inc.
$120,176 Hancock County Conservation District
$130,000 Hardin County Extension District Board
$236,000 Laurel County Cattlemen's Association, Inc.
$240,000 Lincoln County Cattlemen's Association
$250,000 Buffalo Trace Area Development District, Inc. (Mason)
$ 72,500 Green River Area Beef Improvement Group, Inc. (McLean)
$225,000 Mercer County Farm Bureau, Inc.
$244,409 Metcalfe County Conservation District
$183,072 Monroe County Conservation District
$165,000 Nelson County Conservation District
$125,377 Ohio County Cattlemen's Association, Inc.
$350,000 Owen County Farm Bureau, Inc.
$223,188 Pendleton County Agricultural Diversification Association, Inc.
$250,000 Robertson County Soil Conservation District
$ 96,400 Rowan County Fiscal Court
$200,000 Woodford County Agriculture Advancement Council, 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 $34,928 and included:
$2,025 Carroll County Fiscal Court
$5,226 Hardin County Fiscal Court
$7,500 Madison County Fiscal Court
$2,250 Metcalfe County Conservation District
$3,750 Monroe County Conservation District
$7,500 Nelson County Fiscal Court
$6,677 Washington 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 $5,050 and included:
$1,850 Larry Searcy
$1,500 Luckhardt, Inc.
$1,700 Two Brothers Angus
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 $50,346 and included:
$11,250 Butler County Conservation District
$ 8,750 Franklin County Conservation District
$10,846 Metcalfe County Conservation District
$19,500 Monroe County Conservation District
