Identifying opportunities, convening partners, offering incentives to grow Kentucky’s farm economy

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 13, 2025) – During the 2025 Regular Session, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill 28, establishing the Kentucky Agricultural Economic Development Board.

This board was created to strengthen and expand Kentucky’s agricultural economy through strategic planning, targeted partnerships, and financial incentives. The board will administer programs, such as grants, forgivable loans, and revolving loan funds, to support infrastructure upgrades, market expansion, and value-added agricultural development. The overall goal is to attract private investment, create new economic opportunities, and uplift farming communities throughout Kentucky.

The creation of this board is the result of Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell’s vision that “Agriculture is Economic Development.” In 2024, Commissioner Shell conducted a statewide listening tour, hosting regional meetings with farmers, business leaders, and community stakeholders. The input gathered during those meetings shaped the priorities and design of this new initiative.

Commissioner Shell will serve as Chairman of the Board and will appoint the following five members to serve on the inaugural Kentucky Agricultural Economic Development Board:

• Dr. Kenny Burdine - Dr. Burdine serves on the Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation and will represent local economic development. He is an Extension Professor in livestock economics at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment. 

• Lori Noel - Lori Noel serves on the Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation and will represent specialty crop producers. She is the Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at FNB Bank in Western Kentucky. 

• Kevin Fields - Kevin Fields serves on the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board and will represent livestock producers. He owns a cow-calf operation in Madison County and is co-owner of Tri-County Fertilizer and Propane Co. 

• Neil Denton - Neil Denton serves on the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board and will represent row crop producers. He is a farmer, co-owner of Atlas Media Solutions, owner of Agri-Move LLC and serves as president of the Kentucky Small Grain Association. 

• Missy Vanderpool- Missy Vanderpool was nominated by the Kentucky Association for Economic Development. She is the Executive Director of the Henderson Regional Industrial Authority. 

The Kentucky Agricultural Economic Development Board will operate within the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy, under the leadership of Executive Director Brandon Reed. More specifically, it will be housed within the newly created Division of Agricultural Economic Development, led by Director of Economic Development Jacob Estes.

The establishment of the Board comes at a significant moment, as the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025. The Board represents a collaborative effort between the Department of Agriculture, the General Assembly, Kentucky farmers, business leaders, and community stakeholders, all working to strengthen and expand Kentucky’s farm economy.

“As the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy marks 25 years of service, it is only fitting that we launch the Division of Agricultural Economic Development,” Executive Director Brandon Reed said. “Commissioner Shell’s vision and passion for advancing Kentucky agriculture are second to none, and I’m proud the General Assembly recognized that by creating this Board. I look forward to working alongside my longtime colleague Jacob Estes to bring that vision to life.”

“The Kentucky Agricultural Economic Development Board is a yearlong collaboration between the Department of Agriculture, farmers, business leaders, community stakeholders, and the General Assembly,” Commissioner Shell said. “I am excited to see the work this board will accomplish to move Kentucky agriculture forward, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of individuals to get this work started.”

*For a link to the photo, click here.