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 $30,242.60 to the Washington County Cattlemen's Association, Inc.

The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Governor Paul Patton, delivered a check in the amount of $30,242 in support of the Washington County Cattlemen's Association, Inc. for the continuation of the Forage Resource Improvement and Utilization Program. The Washington County Cattlemen's Association, Inc. submitted a proposal for cost share assistance through the Agricultural Development Fund to the Washington County Agricultural Development Council and the Agricultural Development Board to help area farmers with forage resource and improvement. To date the Washington County Cattlemen's Association, Inc. has received $185,992.60 in Agricultural Development Funds to implement the Forage Resource Improvement and Utilization Program.

The Forage Resource Improvement and Utilization Program provides cost share assistance in the areas of forage/pasture improvement, rotational grazing, water development systems and shared use equipment like no-till drills, pasture renovators, silage wrappers and baggers that are designed specifically for pasture improvement and improved forage utilization.

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. Washington County Forage Resource Improvement and Utilization 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 Rick Greenwell at the Washington County Extension Office 859-336-7741 or the Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy at (502) 564-4627.

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