Please complete and submit applications to the KFB state office no later than October 7, 2016.

CBOT futures closed mixed. Funds bought the soy complex and sold corn and wheat. The rising US Dollar is negative for exports and commodity prices.   Lean Hog futures closed lower with pressure from Friday’s bearish Hogs and Pigs Report and weaker pork markets.  Cattle futures closed higher on short-covering following Friday’s sharp losses.

According to information from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants and about 35 percent of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce.

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A feature report on the Perry County “Farm to Schools” program which was designated by USDA as “one in a melon.”  Featured is Perry County Schools “Farm to Schools” coordinator, Liberty Campbell, who talks about their effort toward healthier student eating through utilization of locally grown crops and their hiring of a chef for recipe tips for cafeteria food handlers on making locally grown foods even more attractive to students.

The first of three woodland owner short courses hosted by UK forestry is set for Henry County on July 16.  UK forester Billy Thomas says some of the featured topics range from walnut tree plantings to dealing with wild hogs.  Over 50% of Kentucky woodlands are privately owned and Thomas feels that with just a little work and developing a management plan, land owners can improve their lands both environmentally and economically.

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No, “bear paw quiche” does not contain any bear meat in its recipe, but for the Black Bears of the Harlan County High School Junior Chefs’ team, it has lead to their qualification in the state finals of that competition at the Kentucky State Fair.  Harlan County schools’ director of food services, Jack Miniard, talks about how this program has taken off in their region. 

A final installment in the series of June Dairy Month reports features Denise Jones with the American Dairy Association of Kentucky talking about making dairy products a smarter addition to consumer snacking choices. She also talks about where folks can go on line to see how life works on a typical Kentucky dairy farm.