FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 6, 2002
Contact: Kara Keeton, Communications Director
Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
404 Ann Street, Frankfort
(502) 564-4627

Little Kentucky Smokehouse receives $950,000 from the Kentucky Agricultural Fund

Little Kentucky Smokehouse, LLC is the new enterprise of the owners of Union County Livestock, Inc., Jimmy and Linda Baird, David and Connie Simmons and John Sharp. These long-time residents of Union and Daviess Counties have been successful hog farmers and meat processors for many years, but with this new venture they plan on moving this family oriented company into a national value-added market.

The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board approved a $950,000 forgivable loan to Little Kentucky Smokehouse for use in the construction of the $2.45 million meat processing plant, which will be located in Union County. The new facilities will allow the company to produce source verified, quality controlled, vacuum bagged, pasteurized, labeled and bar coded products that would meet standards for national and international trade. The initial products that will be in large markets throughout the state and beyond include: peppered, smoked, honey, and brown sugar cured boneless hams; smoked semi-boneless hams and bone-in hams; and smoked, bar-b-qued, and plain ribs. They are currently working on new products to add to this selection.

"We are going to need a second building by the time the new facility is built", stated Jimmy Baird. "We plan to continue to build our line of pork products and to also move into the beef market."

This substantial investment by the Agricultural Development Fund will not only benefit the Little Kentucky Smokehouse, but also Kentucky hog producers. Initial product for the company will be sourced through the Central Kentucky Hog Marketing Association. Little Kentucky Smokehouse is not only creating a new market for these producers, but also it will offer all contracted producers a $5 per cwt premium for providing hormone and anti-biotic free hogs that have not been fed re-processed animal tissue.

Kentucky has made a historic effort to diversify away from tobacco production, while revitalizing the farm economy by investing 50% of Kentucky's Master Settlement Agreement into the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund. Investments in projects, such as Little Kentucky Smokehouse, are an example of why Phil Psilos, Director of Economic and Technology Policy Studies for the National Governor's Association, recently stated that Kentucky's innovative investment is leading the way in agricultural diversification on a national level. With focus and continued support throughout the state Kentucky can continue to lead the nation in the cultivation of agriculture and rural economic prosperity.

"This wouldn't have been possible without the support of Senator Paul Herron, Representative John Arnold, the Agricultural Development Board, and our supporters in Union County," said Jimmy Baird, "they have been behind the project and worked with us the whole way."

For more information regarding this project, contact the James Baird at (270) 822-4866 or the Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy at (502) 564-4627.

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