By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

FRANKFORT, Ky. — In a state known for its tobacco and cattle, sheep and goat production is proving a viable option and has Kentucky emerging as a leader in the two industries.

Many are beginning to take notice. Gov. Steve Beshear recently signed a proclamation declaring October as Sheep and Goat Month. According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, Kentucky producers raised 91,227 goats on 4,808 farms and 36,996 sheep on 1,436 farms.

Last month the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board approved $85,000 in state Agricultural Development Funds for the Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development Office. The money will be used for continuing services of the education, promotion and marketing needs of Kentucky’s sheep and goat producers.

“I am committed to creating opportunities that will make Kentucky’s agricultural community stronger,” said Beshear. “Projects like the Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development Office, supported by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, play an integral role in achieving this goal.”

With the growth of both industries in Kentucky, producers recently voted in favor of a checkoff program to help with the growing need for such initiatives as research and marketing. Ray Bowman, executive director of the Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development Office, said this funding will help replace other revenue streams.
“I think this is important because conventional sources of funding that we have seen in the past are continuing to dry up because of the economy. Those funding sources from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) and the universities are going away,” he said.

“If we are not willing to take care of ourselves then nobody else should be expected to. This industry is growing and expanding and to keep it going, we have to spend some money on research, on promotion and on various other things.”

According to information from the KDA, in separate referendum held Oct. 1 in county extension offices throughout the Commonwealth, goat producers approved checkoffs by a 75-41 vote, and sheep producers approved by a 32-12 count.

Dedicated producers throughout the state play an important role. Kathy Meyer is one of those producers; in fact, the Bourbon County farmer has been in the lamb business for about 30 years.
Meyer, who serves as president of the Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Assoc. (KSWPA), said Kentucky is only one of six states in the U.S. that has seen a growth in sheep numbers.

“I think this is so because of a large number of people looking for alternative ways of making money on the farm besides growing tobacco, and a lot of the ag development funds going toward programs to help people get into small ruminant production,” she said.

Meyer added this part of the country is well suited for lamb and goat production rather than crops and, in some cases, cattle production. She also said the capital investment for sheep or goats is much less than for cattle.

The checkoffs will be assessed at a rate of one-half of 1 percent of the net market price of their animals and collection of funds will be mandatory, but reimbursement of funds paid will be an option to the producer. The KSWPA and the Kentucky Goat Producers Assoc. will administer the funds.

Meyer said the time is right for the checkoff, noting that much of the work is already being done. The checkoff dollars, however, will supply sustainability for what has been accomplished.

“There is better goat and sheep marketing in Kentucky than any state around us, but we didn’t particularly have a lot of money to fund it,” she said. “Other states look at our infrastructure as a way of how things ought to be. Before this checkoff program, we really never had a way of sustaining it. I think now we will improve on an already established organization.”

Meyer emphasized most of the work associated with the program will be done by a volunteer board and no salaries will come out of checkoff dollars. A date has yet to be set for when collection of funds will begin. Bowman said a date will be set after consulting with stockyards.

For more information about the Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development Office, visit www.kysheepandgoat.org or contact Ray Bowman at 502-352-2434 or  by e-mail at info@kysheep.org