Dozens of regional farmers, agribusinesses and state and national agriculture officials met in Fulton County on Thursday at the 3rd annual West Kentucky Alliance for a Vibrant Economy Ag Day, to talk about what the future of agriculture in far west Kentucky could be.
WAVE was formed in 2016 as a collaborative economic development organization, making up local officials from west Kentucky’s four river counties -- Ballard, Carlisle, Hickman and Fulton -- to bring awareness to the region’s resources, including agriculture. Some of those officials see the growth of events like “Ag Day” as a sign the collaboration is working.
“The squeaky wheel gets the grease, let’s face it. We’re doing our part by having events like this,” Carlisle County Judge-Executive Greg Terry said. “And I have to say, Warren Beeler, the [state agriculture] commissioner, all you have to do is invite them. And I’ve never had those guys tell us ‘no’.”
Speakers at the event included Kentucky Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy Executive Director Warren Beeler, state agriculture commissioner Ryan Quarles, and Matt Lohr, Director of the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Ryan Quarles said the significant collaboration in the region is one of the reasons that makes agriculture in far west Kentucky unique, and other regions of the state could follow WAVE’s example by working together across county and state lines.
“One of the things they have here, in addition, is strong leadership,” Quarles said. “And when you get the judge-executives, particularly the local officials on the same page, it makes a world of difference in Frankfort and in Washington D.C.”
Much of the talk about the river counties’ future centered around potential opportunities in hemp, including making products out of fiber and cannabidiol, or CBD.
Murray State University Hutson School of Agriculture Dean Tony Brannon said that it’s hard to know how the “expanded” hemp harvest this year will turn out because of uncertainty with federal regulations and supports.
“Everyone asks me how this is going to turn out, and my common answer is ‘ask me next year,’” Brannon said. “We don’t know yet. There’s a lot of things we don’t know.”
WAVE officials hope a new agriculture consultant hired six months ago will help further promote agriculture in the region. The next WAVE Ag Day is July 16, 2020.
