Ever pondered the meaning behind the little “Kentucky Proud” logo?
For Owensboro Living, Ben Shaffer of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture presented a quick overview. “The official State Department of Agriculture marketing program is Kentucky Proud,” stated Shaffer. “We affix our logo or sticker to products that are grown, manufactured, or processed in Kentucky by small farms, family farms, or farmers.”
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Look for the little emblem virtually anywhere that offers products grown or made in Kentucky; this includes eateries, nearby farms, Nona’s Downtown Market, and most other businesses.
They claim on their website that in addition to providing your family with a healthy and safe food supply, being Kentucky Proud is an investment in the people, land, and future of the state. Buying Kentucky Proud products serves two purposes: #1) Buying Kentucky Proud at farmers markets or farm stores like Reid’s and Trunnell’s allows you to support Kentucky’s farming families and guarantees that the food you consume is fresh and healthful. #2) Buying more locally made items boosts our local economy by retaining money in the community and encouraging a sense of belonging.
Throughout the whole state, 3,500 people are members of Kentucky Proud. The initiative is very beneficial to many local farmers and businesses in Owensboro/Daviess County. “The whole Kentucky Proud campaign has garnered a lot of support,” Nona’s Downtown Market owner Maria Kelly said. The restaurant is rather unique, as noted by Kentucky Department of Agriculture Commissioner James Comer, who noted that 80% of Nona’s suppliers are Kentucky Proud. Commissioner Comer was there at our ribbon-cutting event, Kelly added, and he asked me to represent this market concept throughout the state.
One of Nona’s Kentucky Proud suppliers is Karen Pruden of Goat Ridge Farm near Utica. They had bred cattle for thirteen years, but they were new to growing goats. 2013 saw them become members of Kentucky Proud. Since joining Kentucky Proud, we’ve been able to expand and provide additional items on the market, according to Pruden. Goat Ridge Farm’s lip balms, soaps, and lotions made from goat milk are quite popular at Nona’s. Karen says she has had a wonderful experience with Kentucky Proud and is extremely pleased with the program. “Working with the people was enjoyable, and the online application procedure was easy to use. Kentucky Proud makes fresh, natural products more widely available to the public.
The Owensboro Regional Farmer’s Market received cash from the Kentucky Proud Program last year for marketing reasons. “We’ve seen a significant increase in customers since we started advertising more,” says Suzanne Cecil White, president of Farmers Market. “Having that kind of advertising helped promote our farmer’s market, without a doubt.”
A Fresh Look at Kentucky Farms.
Three things about Kentucky that a thousand people anywhere in the world will always be able to name are fried chicken, bourbon, and horses.
It is the Commonwealth’s de facto identity for many. There are states with comparable conditions abroad. Millions of people migrate to Florida every year, mostly because of a mouse that lives in the most delightful place on earth; Maryland is known for its crab cakes, and Iowa for its corn. Relationships between locations are inevitable. We’re fortunate to have a small number of truly great ones in Kentucky.
It is no accident that a select few vital industries determine Kentucky’s position in the global economy. Moreover, it is no accident that Kentucky farms have greatly impacted how the world perceives us. New settlers were drawn to the Kentucky region by Virginia’s 1776 maize Patch and Cabin Rights Act, and they quickly learned that maize grew especially well in Kentucky’s excellent soils. The act offered 400 acres of frontier land in Kentucky to settlers in exchange for their agreement to grow maize and construct houses. Among the countries that encouraged emigrants to cross the Appalachian Mountains were Scotland and Ireland, who brought with them their domestic distilling expertise. Before long, a unique type of whiskey with a maize-dominated mash bill was gaining traction across the nation.
Kentucky’s equestrian industry has thrived for than 200 years, mostly because of the state’s unique topography. The fertile soil of Central Kentucky’s rolling hills, rich in limestone, receives an abundance of essential nutrients, creating an ideal grazing environment for breeding the best Thoroughbred horses in the world.
Whether you think limestone in the soil is the source of Derby-winning racing horses or limestone spring water is the key to world-class bourbon, there’s no denying Kentucky farms are responsible for creating the best of both. And what about the chicken that was fried? The reason behind the feather in our cap is mostly due to a certain Colonel from Kentucky who is dressed in a white suit and a string tie. Having said that, the state has a major chicken industry. One of Kentucky’s top five agricultural exports is actually poultry, which brought in over $1.1 billion for the state’s farmers in 2019.
Approximately 38% of all land accessible is utilized for agriculture, making it the largest human endeavor on the planet. In Kentucky, almost 13 million acres are farmed for food production. That amounts to slightly more than half of the total area of the state. In addition, 97% of farms in Kentucky are owned by families, indicating that farming is still primarily a family business. Of the 915 million acres that are farmed in the country, an American farm has an average size of 434 acres. Nevertheless, small farms provide the backbone of Kentucky’s agricultural sector, with half of all farms covering less than 50 acres.
There are many different kinds of farms in Kentucky. Cattle, sheep, fisheries, grains, fruits, tobacco, and a wide range of other products are produced and raised on farms in Kentucky. Between 2012 and 2017, the percentage of female farmers in Kentucky increased by almost 35 percent. Moreover, over 13,000 farmers in Kentucky are under the age of 35, despite the fact that it is commonly believed that American farmers are 58 years old on average.
In Kentucky, farmers are utilizing a lot of modern agricultural technology, or “ag-tech,” to increase yields, find efficiencies, and increase profitability. The most recent robotics, farm management software, and mechanizations are implemented as soon as new products and research are released. One farmer provided food for four people in 1930. One farmer provides food for 166 people per year, both locally and abroad.
While horse sales are the commonwealth’s most important industry—the state leads the nation in equine sales—the state’s economy also significantly depends on sales of cattle, poultry, and other farm animals. Kentucky has more beef cattle than any other state east of the Mississippi River and ranks tenth in the US for total cattle inventory. There are over 1,400 hog and pig farms with more than 285,000 animals in Kentucky. Kentucky is rated seventh in the US for producing meat goats, while it is ranked 19th for producing milk goats. In addition, more than 50,000 Kentucky dairy cows produced 126 million gallons of milk in 2018.
Without a doubt, the majority of people associate Kentucky-grown corn with whiskey, and the state’s distilleries require between 15 and 20 million bushels of grain annually. Soybeans are not often associated with Kentucky, but in 2019 they were grown on about 1.8 million acres and generated $778 million in income. Soybean oil is used to manufacture ethanol and a range of food products like margarine, salad dressing, and chocolates in addition to feeding livestock with soybean meal.
Even though the world may only know Kentucky for its bourbon, horses, and fried chicken, there is still so much more to learn and appreciate about our farms. Kentucky Proud®, the official state marketing program for agricultural products, highlights a variety of Kentucky-related products and destinations, including locally produced food, farmers’ markets, farm stands, agritourism sites, and more. Every aspect of the commonwealth’s agriculture is represented by the more than 10,000 companies that are Kentucky Proud members. Through Kentucky Proud, consumers can communicate with farms and products made with ingredients from Kentucky farmers.
