Due to declining world-wide demand for tobacco products, tobacco sales have fallen from a high of over 60%, to a value of 1.6% of the total value of agriculture crops sold in Jessamine County in 2017. House Bill 611 and the implementation of the Governor’s Office of Ag. Policy’s (GOAP) Agriculture Development Fund and the County Ag. Investment Program (CAIP) has allowed for the allocation over $3.1 million, over a 16-year period. These funds have been used to assist in the restructuring of Jessamine County Agriculture, helping to alleviate financial challenges caused by the loss of tobacco income and diversify the agriculture production base.

The nine members of the Jessamine County Agriculture Development Board, in cooperation with the Jessamine County Extension ANR Agent, have worked hard to maximize the use of the KADF cost-share funds to achieve the County goals of increasing capital investments for livestock enterprises, infrastructure development to enhance the marketability of locally sourced agriculture products and the development of non-traditional crops and agriculture products in Jessamine County. The ANR Agent has conducted various training sessions and tours to provide opportunities for the Jessamine County CAIP cost-share program recipients to complete their educational requirements for their project completion.

During the 2020-21 program year, a total 62 CAIP cost-share projects were awarded in Jessamine County with a total of $172,538 disbursed to program recipients. These project funds went to enhance the profitability, diversity and sustainability of farming enterprises by providing financial assistance to establish or enhance large and small animal projects, forage and grain improvement, farm infrastructure, fencing and on-farm water, agriculture diversification, value-added marketing and technology and leadership development.

In addition to the CAIP Cost-Share Program, Jessamine County has offered Youth Agricultural Investment Program. For Program Year 2020-21 a total of 10 Jessamine County youth were awarded a total of $4,157 in Cost-Share Funds. Projects included Small Animals, Large Animals and Value-Added Marketing.

The net impact of these investments over the last several years, has been greatly improved livestock genetics resulting in significantly heavier calf weaning weights, improved pasture utilization and conservation practices through the fencing and on-farm water development and a growing and more diverse agriculture industry that is less dependent on tobacco production.