Richie Farmer

Commissioner of Agriculture

Commissioner's Corner

FFA finalists are the cream of a bumper crop of bright, talented Kentucky youth

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate James Lyons and Jared Hodskins on an outstanding achievement for our state.

James and Jared are among the 16 finalists for the National FFA Stars Over America awards, giving Kentucky two finalists for the second year in a row. Only one state, South Dakota, has more finalists (three) than Kentucky.

I wish James and Jared well when the winners are announced next month at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Both of these young men are fantastic ambassadors of Kentucky agriculture.

James is a member of Scott County FFA and one of four finalists nationwide for National FFA’s highest honor, the American Star Farmer award. He is hoping to become Kentucky’s second American Star Farmer winner in four years.

James, 21, is scheduled to graduate from the University of Kentucky in December with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics and a minor in animal science. He has 440 acres in Scott County, more than half of which (270 acres) he rents. He raises 71 feeder beef cattle and 14 beef cows, and he has half interest with his dad in 60 head of replacement heifers. James also tends 68 acres of corn, 35 acres of alfalfa, 20 acres of soybeans and 8 acres of tobacco. And he sells 5,000 square bales of hay every year.

Jared, 22, is a member of Apollo FFA in Owensboro, Ky., and is among the four finalists for the Star in Agribusiness award, FFA’s highest achievement for a person pursuing a career in agribusiness. He owns his own lawn mowing and landscaping business, Hodskins Lawncare, and manages five part-time employees. Jared’s business is booming – after starting with 11 yards in 2004, he maintained 78 last year. That’s more than a seven-fold increase in five years.

I believe that Kentucky’s number one crop is our youth, and both of these young men are the cream of that crop. They represent the best that Kentucky agriculture has to offer.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture supports FFA and 4-H, sponsors youth livestock shows and travels the state teaching children agricultural science.

Despite budget cuts the past two years, the KDA has contributed a total of more than $600,000 to Kentucky FFA and Kentucky 4-H since I took office in 2004. Our Commonwealth has more than 15,000 FFA members in 150 chapters statewide, and 230,000 Kentuckians ages 9-19 participate in 4-H.

Hundreds of young people show thousands of animals at livestock shows conducted annually throughout the state by the KDA, highlighted by the three Kentucky Junior Livestock Expos and the Kentucky State Fair. Exhibitors earn Kentucky Proud points at each show, and the top scorers in each species are honored at a year-end banquet.

Two Mobile Science Activity Centers visit schools around the state. Each 42-foot trailer has 10 work stations where students apply scientific principles and processes to agricultural materials to make products such as corn plastic, lip balm and ice cream.

The KDA is committed to preparing the next generation’s leaders and citizens. James and Jared are excellent role models for the youth of Kentucky.

Commissioner Farmer's biography

Richie Farmer was elected Kentucky's Commissioner of Agriculture in November, 2003, and was sworn into office in January, 2004. He was re-elected to a second four year term on November 6, 2007.

Since taking office, Commissioner Farmer has fought vigorously on behalf of Kentucky's consumers and for Kentucky's agriculture industry. Commissioner Farmer recently spearheaded an effort to protect Kentucky motorists by persuading the legislature to fund a new state-of-the-art motor fuel quality laboratory. He has improved the efficiency of the Department's public protection functions by streamlining processes and introducing new technology, and by working with legislative leaders to strengthen consumer health and safety legislation. He has fought vigorously for the expansion of the state's world-class animal health diagnostic laboratories, which play a vital role in protecting the public health, as well as our signature horse industry and other vital animal agriculture industries. He has also created the Department's signature Kentucky Proud marketing program, which is helping to expand the markets for Kentucky farm products. Since the inception of the program in 2004 has grown from just under two dozen members to over 1500, and has resulted in the sale of almost a half billion dollars in Kentucky Proud food and farm products since 2006.

Commissioner Farmer has served as the President of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture, an organization that represents farmers and other agricultural interests from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and the US Virgin Islands. As a national agriculture leader, the Commissioner promoted the interests of Kentucky producers in the creation of the 2007 Farm Bill and other legislation and is currently working with his counterparts representing Kentucky producers in the creation of the next Farm Bill.

The Commissioner believes that children are Kentucky's most important crop. As such, he has boosted funding for agricultural youth programs such as 4H and FFA, as well as youth livestock shows, even in tight budget times, because he believes they are an important investment for Kentucky's future.

Born in Clay County on Aug. 25, 1969, he is the second of Virginia and Richard Farmer's three children. Before taking office, Commissioner Farmer worked as an investment advisor in Clay County. He lives in Frankfort with his wife Rebecca and their three sons, Trey, Thomas and Tate. A 1992 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Commissioner Farmer earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management. He was also a standout player for the UK basketball Wildcats under Coach Rick Pitino.

Over the years, Commissioner Farmer has given his time to such charitable organizations as the Boys and Girls Clubs, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Children's Miracle Network, American Cancer Society, and Kicks for Kids.

Contact Commissioner Farmer at richie.farmer@ky.gov.