Kentucky’s new “Food Immunity Bill” has become law and now gone into effect, and Tamara Sandberg with the Kentucky Association of Food Banks says the measure will go far in freeing up more food donations for hungry Kentuckians.  The measure provides legal protection for retailers and farmers who make donations of food available. 

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A suggested standard change set forth by the Food and Drug Administration would set new N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) levels in finished smokeless tobacco products; the possible change has many dark tobacco producers, in particular dark fire-cured tobacco producers, worried about the future of their crop.

Three economic development forums held across Kentucky this week aimed to expand the stream of agricultural products into Kentucky’s manufacturing sector, state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said.

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Next week the UK College of Ag Emergency Management Systems group will be hosting a virtual natural disaster exercise with similar groups from across the country.  They’ll be developing procedures and systems to better coordinate the handling of animals and livestock during natural disasters.  Andrea Higdon in UK emergency management says the exercises will take place July 11-12 and again July 13-14.       

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Buying, processing and successfully marketing “seconds” from Bluegrass area produce farmers; that’s the goal of Food Chain Lex according to Executive Director, Becca Self.  They’ve just procured an ag development grant for a blast freezer to add to their current operation in Lexington with a plan to start buying that produce this fall.

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From greening up the front yard to protecting our pollinators the UK Turfgrass Field Day, at their Spindletop Research Farm on July 13, is reaching out to home owners. UK’s Gregg Munshaw says the event is important for professionals to keep up with required educational credits but is also these days drawing a larger number of home owners each year. 

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The Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office was recently awarded a sizeable grant for marketing and education purposes.  Industry leader, Sarabeth Parido says that they are planning to develop a Kentucky Fiber Trail to connect end users, crafters, and fiber processors to tell the story of and build demand for natural fiber products.

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