Growing Daviess County agriculture | Options

All purchases and projects must be complete and in operation with applications, receipts, photos and other required documentation returned and/or postmarked on or before Nov. 30, 2023. Only one application per household, social security number and farm serial number is allowed.

These funds are provided by a lawsuit settlement between 48 states and several cigarette manufacturers.

Historical legislation, identified as House Bill 611, became law during the 2000 General Assembly. The purpose was to distribute 50% of the state monies received from the Master Settlement Agreement for the general purpose of agricultural development in the Commonwealth.

The goal for these funds was to financially support innovative proposals that increase net farm income and agriculture across the state by stimulating markets for Kentucky farmers who previously relied on tobacco income. It was intended to encourage producers to find new ways to add value to Kentucky agricultural products and explore new opportunities for Kentucky farms.

Daviess County has been a leader throughout this entire process. Early on, the newly-created Daviess County Agricultural Development Council served as the local clearing house for ideas and applications requesting funds before final approval of the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board.

The council, comprised of local delegates representing the Soil Conservation District, Farm Service Agency, Cooperative Extension, local agri-business and early career farmers, reviews funding request applications to determine if the proposed project is a priority in the development of agriculture in Daviess County.

Our council has received many unique, innovative funding requests over the past 14 years. Their leadership has supported “outside the box” ideas which have had the potential of providing seed money for the greater good of agriculture.

Not all funded projects have resulted in financial success for the awarded applicants but all have provided an educational foundation by which examples were created for others to replicate or avoid.

Each of these dollars has been spent with no less than a dollar-for-dollar match by the applicant, but more typically is a 3 to 1 investment.

Meaning, these ag development monies have only been a minimal incentive to help someone reduce the risk in a large capital outlay for a new or improved practice on their land.

Some of the projects were matched with state-appropriated funds in addition to the county contribution.

Another unique aspect of the agricultural development fund has been the educational contribution provided through the Cooperative Extension Service and Kentucky Beef Network.

All agricultural development fund recipients have attended one or more education seminars that increased their farming knowledge.

Great strides have been made in the quality and yield of livestock and crop enterprises from the investment and education applied to the enterprises for which our farmers received cost share.

Daviess County has done a great job utilizing the result of House Bill 611 for what it was intended to do, energize our farmers and landowners with information, education on new opportunities and production methods and provide a financial incentive to move a project from idea to reality.

Notification cards from Green River Area Beef Improvement Group will be mailed soon, but for more information, or to request an application, call the Daviess County Extension Office at 270-685-8480, or the office representing the county in which your project will be completed.

Daviess County FairThe Daviess County Lions Club Fair begins this weekend with pageants in Bittel Hall at the fairgrounds and continues through next Saturday. 4-H and open to public adult and youth crop, vegetable and flower entries can be entered at the east exhibit building from 4 to 7 p.m, Tuesday, July 18. FFA entries can be entered from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday, July 17.