Kentucky Department of Parks News Release

Jan. 23, 2008                                                                 Contact: Gil Lawson

IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                              502-564-2172, ext. 307

                                                                                        Gil.Lawson@ky.gov

 Kentucky State Parks Increase Kentucky Proud Spending In 2007

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky State Parks increased spending on Kentucky-raised farm products by 9 percent during 2007, spending $162,793.

The 17 Kentucky State Park resorts and three state-run Frankfort cafeterias have been purchasing food products from local farmers since 2004. It’s part of an effort called “Kentucky Proud” to help Kentucky farmers find markets for their products.

“This is a great way to promote Kentucky products through our park system,” said Commerce Secretary Marcheta Sparrow. “Many of our parks are asked by guests where some of the food comes from, and we’re glad to tell them it was grown or raised locally.”

The food used by state parks includes fruits and vegetables, beef, country ham and fish.

“This is great news, especially considering Kentucky’s fruit and vegetable crops were damaged by last April’s freeze and last summer’s drought,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “I appreciate everything the state parks have done to make Kentucky Proud foods available to their customers. Once they try Kentucky Proud, they’ll discover what we’ve known all along – nothing else is close.”

The state park buying program also expands the marketing opportunities for farmers. The state parks work closely with the Department of Agriculture’s “Kentucky Proud” marketing program for farm products that are grown, raised or processed in the Bluegrass State. Nearly 1,000 producers and retailers are members of the program. The range of Kentucky Proud products is extensive – delicious blackberry jam, rich Kentucky country ham, mouth-watering tomatoes just out of the field, tongue-tingling salsa and much more. The Kentucky Proud logo tells consumers that product traveled just a short distance from the farm to the plate.

For more information about the Kentucky Proud program, visit to www.kentuckyproud.com For more information about Kentucky State Parks, go to www.parks.ky.gov

--30--

The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 53 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov