July 1, 2020 marked the beginning of a new two-year term for Todd County’s Phase I Ag. Development Council.  Of the nine members on the 2020-22 Council, six were totally new this term, having never served before.  At their first meeting, members received training related to their responsibilities on the Council, including a short history of the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund and the projects and programs that have been funded in Todd County.  The County Council has distributed approximately 2.5 million dollars in Ag. Development funds since 2000.  Members also learned that the Todd County Council has a County Comprehensive Plan that helps guide the Council in its decision-making.  This Council group has thoughtfully and promptly dealt with the two projects submitted to the Council this year.  Both projects were approved and funded.  

The County Council approved $7,500 in funding for Farmstead Butcher Block LLC to go toward establishing a meat processing facility and retail meat market in Central City.  The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic revealed weaknesses in the U.S. meat processing and distribution systems for beef, pork, and poultry.  During the pandemic, slaughter weight cattle and hogs have been available locally and some folks were able to get beef and pork processed for their families.  However, the demand was many times greater than the ability of local slaughter plants to process animals.  The Kentucky Agriculture Development Board recognizes the need for additional local slaughter capacity in the state and is providing special funding for local meat processing facility establishment or expansion.  Due to the financial support of Todd County’s Ag. Development County Council and some other County Councils, Farmstead Butcher Block was awarded a $250,000 grant from the State Board.       

 The Phase I County Council also approved the county's seventh offering of the Phase I County Agricultural Improvement Program (CAIP) this program year.  The Council granted a total of $235,000 in CAIP funding to the CAIP administrator, the Todd County Conservation District.  The maximum cost-share reimbursement limit is $3,500 per farm. The actual reimbursement cap will be a pro-rated number, based upon the number of people who complete projects and the amount of cost-share eligible money they spend.  CAIP signup was held in January-February 2021 with 116 farmers applying for funding.  Under the qualification policies established by Todd County’s Ag. Development Council, all 116 producers were approved for CAIP funding.  Our Council is unique in that they believe that every farmer, whether large or small, full-time or part-time, should qualify for CAIP cost-share funds.