The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Governor Steve Beshear, approved $30,450 at their monthly board meeting in support of agricultural diversification programs in Logan County. The Logan County Conservation District and the Logan County Farm Bureau submitted proposals for cost-share assistance to the Logan County Agricultural Development Council and the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board.

“I am committed to creating opportunities that will make Kentucky's agricultural community stronger,” said Governor Beshear. “County model programs funded by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board play an integral role in achieving this goal.”

The Logan County Farm Bureau received $20,000 to encourage diversification efforts in Logan County. The Agricultural Diversification Program offers cost-share assistance with individual producers seeking to diversify production. The main goal of this program is to improve net farm income through development and expansion of new agricultural products and through the development of new ways of working with existing agricultural commodities. For more information about the sign-up period and the guidelines for programs administered by the Logan County Farm Bureau, contact Russell Poore at (270) 725-7728.

The Logan County Conservation District was awarded $10,450 for the Shared-use Equipment Program. This program is to impact a high number of producers who cannot justify ownership expenses associated with certain equipment by helping them access technology necessary to improve their operations in an economical manner. For more information about the sign-up period and the guidelines for programs administered by the Logan County Conservation District, contact William S. Johnson at (270) 726-1371.

Governor Beshear and the Kentucky Legislature continue to make great strides toward lessening Kentucky's dependence on tobacco production while revitalizing the farm economy by investing 50 percent of Kentucky's Master Settlement Agreement into the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund. To date, Kentucky has invested more than $265 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 Logan County diversification programs represent more than 3,307 projects that have been funded through Agricultural Development Fund, since the inception of the program in January 2001.