FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 3, 2003
Contact: Kara Keeton, Communications Director
Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy
404 Ann Street, Frankfort
(502) 564-4627

Green River Cattle Company:
Tobacco farmers plowing new ground in the beef industry

The Agricultural Development Board held a press conference today [March 3, 2003] to recognize the Green River Cattle Company, at 10:00 a.m. EST at Lilly’s restaurant on Bardstown Road in Louisville. John-Mark Hack, CEO of the Agricultural Development Fund; David Givens, representing Green River Cattle Co.; and Kathy Cary, owner/chef of Lilly’s restaurant will discuss Green River Cattle Company’s role in Kentucky’s value-added beef industry.

Green River Cattle Company (GRCC), a farmer-owned and managed Central Kentucky corporation, envisioned connecting local beef producers with consumers in Kentucky. In 2001, the corporation received Green County Agricultural Development Funds to find the answer to the question “Can beef cattle finished in Kentucky be marketed profitably?” After one and one-half years of planning and initial production, GRCC implemented their direct marketing trial of locally produced beef in June of 2002.

The innovative market study has given the farmers a focus for the future of their community based market alliance. A community based food system, offering source and process-verified beef has advantages for all participants, from the producer to the consumer. The study reaffirmed that fact that local control, focusing on quality over quantity, can result in products responsive to market demands while maintaining or enhancing food safety. GRCC is now transitioning from a research group to a small business enterprise, and currently has its products on the menu at two Louisville restaurants: Lilly’s and Equus.

"I applaud the Agricultural Development Board for its creation of a public program that's doing so much good for the Kentucky agricultural community. Most of all, I'm proud of the folks at the Green River Cattle Company -- for the high quality of their beef, for the wide variety and broad price range they offer, along with their thorough business practices -- it's been a joy to work with them at our restaurant, and to know that they will deliver the highest quality of beef that matches the reputation of Lilly's cuisine”, said Kathy Cary. “This is a win-win situation, and something we can all be very proud of!"

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 $102 million to an array of county, regional, and state projects designed to increase net farm income and create sustainable new farm-based business enterprises. Green River Cattle Company represents just one of the over 900 projects that have been funded through Agricultural Development Fund, since the inception of the program in January 2001.

"The Green River Cattle Company is the prototype for agricultural diversification projects in the Commonwealth,” said John-Mark Hack. “A group of tobacco and beef producers from one of the state's most tobacco dependent areas has developed a sound business approach to maximizing the value of an existing asset, through the development of a high quality beef product and demand for that product in some very high value markets. We're fortunate to have their leadership in Kentucky's effort to revitalize our agricultural economy by reducing our dependence on tobacco income."

For more information regarding this project contact the following:
Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy at (502) 564-4627
David Givens with Green River Cattle Company at (502) 932-5105
Kathy Cary with Lilly’s at (502) 451-0377

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