Kentucky Department of Agriculture

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer joined all of Kentucky’s agriculture community in mourning the loss of Michael Judge, an educator and former executive director of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s marketing office. Mr. Judge died Sunday at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

“Michael was a respected leader in Kentucky’s agricultural community,” Commissioner Farmer said. “He played a major role in elevating Kentucky Proud into a statewide movement and launched many other initiatives as our executive director of marketing. He was better known as a teacher who influenced a generation of agriculture students at Eastern Kentucky University. I will always remember him as a tireless worker for Kentucky agriculture and a dear friend. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Kelly, and his children and stepchildren.”

Mr. Judge, 55, was executive director of the KDA’s Office of Agricultural Marketing and Product Promotion from May 2004 to February 2008. He joined the Department in February 2004 as director of the Division of Agriculture Marketing and Agribusiness Recruitment. After he left the Department, Mr. Judge joined the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy and later returned to Eastern Kentucky University, where he had served as agriculture department chair and director of University Farms before coming to work for the KDA.

Mr. Judge was a professor and director in EKU’s agriculture department from 1981-2003. Before that, he taught vocational agriculture at Scott County High School.

A native of Nicholas County, Mr. Judge was a graduate of Nicholas County High School and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky.

A Time of Remembrance service is scheduled for Thursday from 2-5 p.m. EST at Walnut Hall in the Keen Johnson Building at Eastern Kentucky University. Oldham, Roberts & Powell Funeral Home in Richmond is in charge of arrangements.