Agriculture

What Kentucky Brings to the Table

The production of food and related products is one of Kentucky's major industrial activities, one of the leaders in employment among the state's major manufacturing industry groups.

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INCENTIVES:

Kentucky's pro-business climate offers a number of innovative state incentive programs for investments and jobs added in new or expanding food processing operations. In addition, state loans are available at below-market interest rates through the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority.

LOCATION:

Kentucky is located at the center of a 32 state distribution area. A one day drive provides quick access to major industrial and consumer markets.

AGRICULTURE COMMODITIES:

The number of Kentucky farms is estimated at over 90,000. Farm land totals over 14 million acres or 55 percent of the state's total land area. The average farm has 157 acres. Kentucky ranks among the top states in the US for number of farms.

The state grows a variety of agricultural products. Crops grown in the state include corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum and barley. Livestock inventories, milk production and fruit and vegetable production are important components of Kentucky's agricultural economy. Livestock inventories include cattle and calves, hogs and pigs, sheep and lambs and poultry.

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH:

Kentucky's colleges and universities are a valuable resource for food processors. In addition to teaching and extension programs, research is conducted in the meat, dairy, fruit and vegetable processing areas.

Kentucky is in the strategic position of offering industry both ample water supply and low-cost water transporation, which is becoming increasingly more important. Six public riverports operate facilities at Henderson, Hickman, Louisville, Eddyville, Owensboro and Paducah.

WATER:

Kentucky's vast network of rivers and water impoundments provide major assets for industrial production. The state's system not only serves as a source of water supply, but gives Kentucky a gateway of some 1,000 miles through the inland waterway system of the eastern U.S. This provides an excellent means of transportation of bulk materials to inland market and major ports on the Gulf of Mexico.

TRANSPORTATION:

Kentucky's excellent highway system includes over 70,000 miles of federal, state and local roads. Five interestate highways and nine state parkways pass through the state and provide service lanes to the northern industrial belt, the Midwest and te growing Southeast.

A Farm to Table Connection Conference was held on November 6, 2001 at the Pritchard Community Center in Elizabethtown Kentucky.

The Conference was sponsored by the U of K Cooperative Extension Service and the Kentucky Farm Bureau. The conference brought together producers and consumers to promote the production and consumption of Kentucky-grown farm products. West Kentucky Corporation sponsored the evening program called "Taste of Kentucky." Click on any of the images below for a larger version.
Here is a look at last year's Farm to Table Connection Conference
October 5-6, 2000

The conference was used to bring together producers and consumers to promote the production and consumption of Kentucky-grown farm products.

Taste of Kentucky was an exciting exhibition highlighting quality Kentucky grown products. The Taste of Kentucky was sponsored by: