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FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer expressed his gratitude to the House Agriculture and Small Business Committee for passing legislation Thursday that would require state agencies to buy Kentucky farm products if the products are available and meet quality and price requirements.
“This is important legislation for Kentucky farmers,” Commissioner Farmer said. “It will give many growers a new source of income for their farm products. More income for Kentucky farmers means more spending close to home, which strengthens Kentucky’s local communities.”
House Bill 669 also requires state agencies that purchase Kentucky-grown foods to report on the amount of each product purchased to the General Assembly and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture on or before Jan. 1 of each year. The bill is sponsored by state Reps. Adrian Arnold, D-Mount Sterling, and Tom McKee, D-Cynthiana.
The Kentucky Department of Parks bought more than $21,000 worth of Kentucky Proud produce in 2005, the first full year that the state bought produce from local growers. The state last fall adopted new regulations that will allow the state parks to buy Kentucky Proud meat and dairy products. The Parks Department operates 17 resorts throughout the state and three cafes in Frankfort.
Kentucky farm income totaled $4.13 billion in 2004, the first year for which farm receipts topped $4 billion, according to the Kentucky Agricultural Statistics Service.
Kentucky Proud is the KDA’s marketing program for Kentucky-raised or Kentucky-produced agricultural products. More than 500 producers are members of the program. The number of retailers in the program is growing, and those that participated in a holiday Kentucky Proud marketing campaign last fall reported significant increases in sales.
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