Kentucky no longer 'Sheepish' about Goats

from Business Lexington

by Tim Thornberry

December 01, 2009

FRANKFORT, KY. – In a state known for its tobacco and cattle, sheep and goat production is proving to be a viable option for farmers and has Kentucky emerging as a leader in the two industries. And many are beginning to take notice. Gov. Steve Beshear signed a proclamation declaring last 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. In September, the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board took note and 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. The office opened in 2007.

“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.”

Ray Bowman, executive director of the office said the funds will put the organization in a position to continue to educate and promote the sheep and goat industry, while implementing new programs for our producers.

“It also allows us to continue work toward creating a self-sustaining entity, which we were challenged to do by the Board when we received the original grant," he said.

Bowman added that the office is currently handling the administrative arm of the American Goat Federation as well.

"It dovetails very neatly with what we do and we think that has a tremendous amount of possibilities in helping us not just sustain ourselves but possibly expand our organization," he said.

The industry is also getting attention through a weekly broadcast on America’s Web Radio. The program showcases the goat and sheep business through a variety of guests telling of their ventures with the animals.

It is the dedicated producers throughout the state that are at the heart of the growing ag industry. 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 Association said Kentucky is only one of six states in the U.S. that has seen a growth in sheep numbers.

“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 you get into small ruminant production,” she said.

Meyer added that 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.

With the growth of both industries in Kentucky, producers recently voted in favor of a check-off program to help with the growing need for such initiatives as research and marketing.

Bowman said this funding will help replace other revenue streams that have dried up.

“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 no body else should be expected to. This industry is growing and expanding and to keep it doing we’re going to have to spend some money on research, on promotion and on various other things.”

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

The check-offs will be assessed at a rate of one-half of one percent (.50 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 Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association and the Kentucky Goat Producers Association will administer the funds.

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

“There is better goat and sheep marketing in Kentucky than any state around us. 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 check-off program, we really never had a way of sustaining it. I think now we will improve on an already established organization.”

Meyer emphasized that most of the work associated with the program will be done by a volunteer board and no salaries will come out of check-off dollars.

A date has yet to be set for when collection of check-off funds will begin but Bowman said he hopes to have something in place by January.

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