Department programs teach important lessons to Kentucky's youth

 

 

Commissioner Richie Farmer

 

The livestock show season is in full swing. There’s a show somewhere in Kentucky almost every day from now until the end of the month, and after a brief break, the shows continue the rest of the summer. The Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo in Morehead is in the history books; the Western Rivers expo in Murray is June 25-26, and the Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo – West in Bowling Green is July 23-25. They all lead to the Kentucky State Fair, which starts Aug. 20.

 

I’m especially proud of everything the Kentucky Department of Agriculture does for Kentucky’s young people. The livestock shows enable participating youths to learn about their show animals and the qualities of a successful showman, but they also teach the value of hard work and discipline. Our agriculture education programs, like the annual Poster and Essay Contest and the mobile science activity centers, teach school children why agriculture is important in their everyday lives.

 

The Department has contributed to Kentucky 4-H and Kentucky FFA every year since I took office in 2004. In all, we’ve given more than a half-million dollars in the past six years. Budget cuts forced us to reduce our contributions this year, but we were still able to give a substantial amount.

 

The budget of the Department as a whole is one-third lower than it was 10 years ago, adjusted for inflation, and much of that reduction has occurred in the last few years. As we have struggled to make ends meet, we have been forced to cut or even suspended beneficial services to shore up programs that we are required by law to carry out. I will do everything in my power to maintain the Department programs that serve Kentucky’s young people. I think they are some of the most important things we do.