FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 3, 2008

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-4696

LEGISLATION SECURES FUTURE OF KENTUCKY PROUD

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said the Kentucky Proud bill will ensure that Kentucky farmers and food producers will benefit from the successful farm marketing program for years to come.

The state Senate on Wednesday passed House Bill 626, which establishes Kentucky Proud in state law and authorizes the agriculture commissioner to collect fees to fund the farm marketing program. The House concurred in a Senate amendment later that day. Both houses passed the bill without opposition.

“This bill will assure producers as well as consumers that Kentucky Proud will always be the brand for fresh, nutritious, great-tasting food products made right here in the Commonwealth,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “Kentucky Proud has been very successful in much of the state, and this legislation provides the stability to take the Kentucky Proud movement to a higher level.”

House Bill 626 also allows Kentucky Proud funds to be carried over from one fiscal year to the next and establishes a 12-member council to advise the Kentucky Department of Agriculture on administering the program.

The bill was sponsored by Reps. Mike Denham, D-Maysville; Tom McKee, D-Cynthiana, and Ruth Ann Palumbo, D-Lexington. It now goes to Gov. Steve Beshear for his signature.

Kentucky Proud has grown from a few dozen members to more than 1,000 since 2004. Kentucky Proud food products accounted for an estimated $80 million in retail sales in 2007.

For more information on Kentucky Proud, go to www.kyproud.com.

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