Kentucky agriculture is a success because of its people.
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Nancy Cox, dean of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) and UK's first-ever vice president for Land-grant Engagement, plans to retire in late summer.
Nine working groups involving over 200 leaders from various sectors of Kentucky agriculture are actively shaping the future of our industry. This collaborative effort, part of the Strategic Roadmap for Kentucky Agriculture: 2025-2030, is spearheaded by the Kentucky Agriculture Council and will be unveiled this November.
Dennis Craig, the Executive Director of Blackacre State Nature Preserve and Historic Homestead, leads a unique 280-acre conservancy on the southeast side of Jefferson County. As Kentucky’s first nature preserve, it offers a distinctive urban farming experience through its garden plot program and a variety of engaging events.
Fran McCall is a Commodity Specialist at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation (KFB). She grew up on a farm, and her family had been in the business for generations before her.
A 2021 report from the Greater Louisville Project found that about 3.5% of households live within food deserts of Jefferson County. For example, there are only two full-service grocery stores for a population of 60,000 in west Louisville. Luckily, Louisville is home to those fighting for a brighter and greener future for all.
Knopf says that math, statistics, data science, and agricultural economics are the most common degrees of NASS employees, as well as any other number of agricultural degrees.
Brandon Reed, of Hodgenville, has been named the new executive director of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy (KOAP), Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell has announced.
Webster County farmer Eddie Melton was elected as president of Kentucky Farm Bureau in December 2023. He has served on the organization’s executive committee for the past fifteen years.
Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) today announced that Jed Clark of Graves County has been selected as the 2023 KFB Farmer of the Year. Clark will be awarded the honor during the organization’s 104th annual meeting at the Galt House in Louisville later this year.
In the ever-evolving landscape of Kentucky politics, Jonathan Shell emerges as a notable figure, having just been elected as our state's Agriculture Commissioner. His journey to this pivotal role in governing Kentucky's vast agricultural sector is marked by a blend of legislative experience and a deep-rooted connection to farming.
A native of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, Michael Moore recently made a life-changing decision. He returned to college as a first-generation student to pursue a bachelor’s degree in sustainable agriculture in the community food systems track at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
Alan Watts is the morning Ag Reporter on WKDZ and is an excellent source for the latest Kentucky agriculture news.
For many years in Kentucky, you mostly found H-2A workers on Kentucky tobacco farms. However, as many farmers have experienced a lack of dependable employees, more and more non-tobacco farms have shifted to the H-2A visa program to supplement labor needs during the year.
Laura Knoth serves as the Executive Director for the Kentucky Corn Growers and the Kentucky Small Grain Growers.
Nikki Whitaker serves as the Director of Operations and Policy at the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association. Learn more about her career involving agricultural communications.
Discover this mom-daughter team that’s keeping agriculture in the family!
Hear from Sharon Spencer and what she has to say about making in impact in agriculture!
Learn about Rae Wagoner and what she has to say about the diversity of careers in agriculture.
Learn about Dr. Antomia “Mia” Farrel and her role as Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Kentucky and her accomplished career in agriculture.
Discover Dr. Kristie Guffey, Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator at Murray State University, and her career in agriculture.
Read about Sheldon McKinney, the Executive Director of the Kentucky FFA Foundation. #womeninkyag #womenshistorymonth
Read about Dr. Nancy Cox, the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment at the University of Kentucky. #womeninkyag #womenshistorymonth
While the DeWeeses also have hill ground and various other soil types to work with, the river bottoms are tricky. Like many other row crop farmers in the far western portion of the state, the DeWeese brothers have turned to contract growing of hogs in order to diversify their operation and maximize their profit margin.
For 60 years, Cecilia resident Kenneth Hayden has farmed 850 acres of land, and the 91-year-old is still at it.
Sarah and her husband Bart own Red Hill Farms, an esteemed livestock and crop farming operation spanning south central Kentucky and northern middle Tennessee. Not only does Jones oversee the sale and care of Red Hill’s many cattle, but she also manages its finances, records, marketing and promotions.
The Thomas family has a deep family history in agriculture, and both Mark and Wesley were raised on farms. While Wesley is now also a Nurse Practitioner, Mark is fulfilling his lifelong dream. “From an early age, I have always been dedicated to agriculture and the farm. I have never wanted to do anything but farm full-time,” noted Mark.
Steve Koch, a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, was recently hired to a substantial leadership position in Florida’s Thoroughbred racing industry.
The days of tobacco being the king crop in Kentucky are in the rear-view mirror, but the once top crop still holds a place in Kentucky's diverse agricultural environment.
The most recent USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) information is predicting a possible record for soybean planting throughout the soybean-producing states. Kentucky producers are expected to plant a total of two million soybean acres, up 150,000 acres from 2021.
The lush, quiet countryside of Green County is about to get a little busier as planting season gets underway. The sound of tractors and planters gives way only to the many voices on the farm, several of which belong to the guest workers who have become a familiar part of the farming landscape there, and on most farms across the state.