Capitalizing On Kentucky's Horse Industry: Improving On-Farm Profitability For Horse Owners And Hay Producers

Grants and Contracts Details

Description

Capitalizing on Kentucky’s Horse Industry: Improving on-farm profitability for horse owners and hay producers Summary Growth and innovation are essential to the long-term success of any industry. In Kentucky, small and medium size horse operations have been underserved in areas of educational programing, cost share programs, and infrastructure improvements. Farms with horses in the state number approximately 35,000 and directly impact over 1 million acres of farmland. The majority of these farms purchase their hay from hay producers, hay brokers, or local farm stores. This project seeks to assist horse farm owners through agronomic education, soil and forage testing programs, cost share programs and cooperative extension services. This project will also provide much needed education to hay producers who have the potential to increase their net farm income by marketing horse quality hay. The project will include establishing demonstration farms, creating educational programing, working with county agents, NRCS and the KDA Hay Testing Program, developing publications and popular press articles, and six regional field days. The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board was created and charged with the distribution of Master Settlement Agreement funds. A major goal was to invest in innovative proposals that increase net farm income by stimulating markets for KY ag products, adding value to products and exploring new opportunities for KY farms. This project meets several of these criteria by supporting farms in the state with horses, Kentucky’s cash hay producers, and helping both become more profitable.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date8/11/238/11/23

Funding

  • KY Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy

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