FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 18, 2002
Contact: Kara Keeton, Communications Director
Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
404 Ann Street, Frankfort
(502) 564-4627

State Agricultural Development Board Delivers $15,750 to the Magoffin County Goat Association

The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Governor Paul Patton, delivered a check in the amount of $15,750 in support of the Goat Diversification Program in Magoffin County. Magoffin County Goat Association submitted a proposal for the program to the Magoffin County Agricultural Development Council to help area farmers diversify into goat production.

The Goat Diversification Program will provide a 50% cost-share to Magoffin County farmers to improve net farm income by improving the genetic base of Kentucky's goat herds, promoting animal health, encouraging science-based solutions to herd management and providing marketing opportunities for local livestock producers.

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. To date Kentucky has invested over $98 million to an array of county, regional, and state projects designed to increase net farm income and create sustainable new farm-based business enterprises. The Magoffin County Goat Diversification Program represents just one of the over 800 projects that have been funded through Agricultural Development Fund, since the inception of the program in January 2001.

For more information regarding this project, contact the Magoffin County Goat Association or the Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy at (502) 564-4627.

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