FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, February 25, 2008

For more information contact:
Bill Clary

(502) 564-4696

STONE PROMOTED TO KDA AG MARKETING CHIEF;

JUDGE LED KENTUCKY PROUD TO $80 MILLION IN SALES

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has named Mac Stone, a longtime educator and sustainable agriculture leader in Kentucky, executive director of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s marketing office effective March 1.

Stone will replace Michael Judge, who will resign effective Feb. 29 after four years with the Department. Stone currently is director of the KDA’s Division of Value-Added Plant Production.

“We are saddened by Michael’s departure, but we are fortunate to have someone with Mac’s diverse background to step into this position,” Commissioner Farmer said. “It will be a seamless transition, and the momentum that the Kentucky Proud movement has gained will continue.”

Stone joined the Department in October 2004 after 19 years as manager of the Research and Demonstration Farm at Kentucky State University in Frankfort. Under Stone's guidance, the KSU farm established fruit, vegetable, greenhouse, livestock, aquaculture, apiculture and composting programs. Stone helped start KSU's Third Thursday sustainable agriculture workshop. Prior to joining KSU, Stone worked at the Spendthrift Farm thoroughbred operation and as beef research specialist at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky.

Stone has been active in the Kentucky Sustainable Agriculture Community, Partners for Family Farms, the Organic Farming Research Foundation and the American Pastured Poultry Producers Association. He and his wife, Ann Bell Stone, produce vegetables, tobacco, Angus for seed stock, organic beef, lamb and organically raised pastured poultry at Elmwood Stock Farm in Scott County.

Judge was executive director of the KDA’s Office of Agriculture Marketing and Product Promotion since May 2004. He joined the Department the previous February as director of the Division of Agriculture Marketing and Agribusiness Recruitment. Before joining the KDA, Judge was the agriculture department chair and director of University Farms at Eastern Kentucky University. 

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

Under Judge’s leadership, Kentucky Proud grew into a major statewide movement that generated an estimated $80 million in retail sales of Kentucky-raised and -produced agricultural products in 2007. More than 1,000 producers, businesses, retailers and farmers’ markets are members of Kentucky Proud.

Judge also led development of MarketMaker: Kentucky, an interactive Web site that connects food producers and buyers, and Kentucky’s Good Agricultural Practices program, which encourages farmers to look for ways to improve their operations so they can raise fresh, healthy produce. With Judge at the helm, the KDA’s marketing office launched the “Agriculture Adventures: Kentucky” educational program, added a second mobile science activity center to visit Kentucky schools, and expanded the scope of its Farm and Home Safety Program. Judge served on the executive committee of the Task Force on the Future of Agriculture in 2007.

“I am deeply grateful to Michael Judge for his leadership and hard work,” Commissioner Farmer said. “His efforts have been instrumental in making Kentucky Proud the success it is today. Along with being a key member of my management team, Michael is a good friend. I will miss his wise counsel, and I wish him well.”

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