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Making dreams come true is not a phrase you’d normally associate with a state government program and a middle man, but that’s exactly what’s happening through the Ky Ag Development Corporation’s “beginning farmer” loan program.  And one “middle man,” Chris Cooper with Central Kentucky Ag Credit in Richmond explains how the program is working for a Madison County young farm couple. 

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We can all help in the effort to feed the hungry in Kentucky if we just check line 33, box E on our state tax return.  The Ky Association of Food Banks’, Sarah Vaughn, says that will help fund the “farm to food banks” program which helps farmers harvest and deliver too feeding agencies some crops of “seconds” that might normally go to waste.  

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The earlier mid-March freezes have had many farmers scrambling to protect sensitive crops.  Grayson County strawberry grower, Danny VanMeter, says berry farmers had some sleepless nights trying to protect sensitive buds from the cold.  At this point he feels like a few of the larger berries may be in short supply but that overall there should be plenty of strawberries at roadside markets beginning in late April.  

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This is the last week for “Ag Tag” donations to be made by holders of “farm license tags” across the state.  FFA Foundation Executive Director Sheldon McKinney says the program over the last few years has made a major difference in program participation at both the state and chapter level.

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The rebuilding of the Lexington Bluegrass Stockyard is in full swing and COO of the yard, Jim Akers, feels like their September 1 open date is right on schedule.  Feldhaus begins a series on this major agri-business for the state and the state-of-the-art system it will employ to handle up to 3,000 livestock sales per day.

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Kentucky Farm Bureau, in partnership with Farm Credit Mid-America, has published a book by Kentucky artist and author, Mitchell Tolle titled The Most Wonderful Dream. 

CBOT futures closed little changed and mixed with soybeans and soyoil squeezing out small gains. MGE and KC Wheat dropped the most on ideas of improved rainfall in the Plains.  Cattle futures closed higher, led by the Live Cattle market. Support came from stronger boxed beef values, technical buying on prices touching new highs, and April LC discount to the cash market.