December 23, 2002
Contact: Kara Keeton, Communications Director
Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy
404 Ann Street, Frankfort
(502) 564-4627

State Agricultural Development Board Delivers $50,000 to the Nelson County Beef Cattle Association

The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Governor Paul Patton, today delivered a check in the amount of $50,000 to the Nelson County Beef Cattle Association for the continuation of the Cattle Handling Facilities Program. The Nelson County Beef Cattle Association submitted a proposal for cost share assistance through the Agricultural Development Fund to the Nelson County Agricultural Development Council and the Agricultural Development Board to help area farmers with cattle handling facilities. The cattle handling facilities program provides beef and dairy producers the ability to implement best management and health practices that augment efficient production and marketing opportunities. To date the Nelson County Cattlemen's Association, Inc. has received $100,000 in Agricultural Development Funds to implement the Cattle Handling Facilities Program.

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. Nelson County Cattle Handling 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 Nelson County Extension Office 348-9204 or the Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy at (502) 564-4627.

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