The following list highlights some of Kentucky Farm Bureau's most significant legislative accomplishments in Frankfort and Washington, D.C. on behalf of Kentucky's agricultural and rural communities.

 

STATE

Right to Farm Law

Kentucky Farm Bureau continues to ensure farmers have the right to produce the safest most affordable food supply in the world.

Low Property Tax Rates

Kentucky Farm Bureau led the charge for passage of House Bill 44 in 1979. As a result, Kentucky’s property tax rate has fallen from 31.6 cents per $100 of assessed value to the current rate of 11.5 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Sales Tax Exemptions on Agricultural Inputs

Kentucky Farm Bureau has long advocated maintaining tax exemptions on most all agricultural inputs. These exemptions have saved KY farmers billions through the decades.

Kentucky Water Resources Board

Kentucky Farm Bureau lobbied for passage of legislation that established this board.  This board will research and develop recommendations to enhance the quantity of water resources for agricultural production and rural Kentucky.

Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Act

Kentucky Farm Bureau was instrumental in lobbying for this law that protects Kentucky’s surface and groundwater resources from pollution and protects farmers from over burdensome state environmental regulations.

Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Kentucky Farm Bureau led the effort for 50% of the landmark master settlement agreement dollars being appropriated to diversify agriculture.

Grain Insurance Fund

Kentucky Farm Bureau constructed and lobbied for passage of legislation which has been protecting the states grain farmers in the event of a grain elevator financial failure.

Transportation Laws

As a result of Kentucky Farm Bureau’s lobbying efforts Kentucky farmers enjoy some of the most farmer-friendly transportation regulations in the nation.

Rural Roads

Kentucky Farm Bureau continues to lobby for rural, county and secondary road funding. Safe and well maintained roads are critical to efficiently transporting agricultural products to market.

Private Property Rights

Kentucky Farm Bureau continues to lead the effort to protect the rights of property owners related to eminent domain and trespass issues.

Wildlife Management

Kentucky Farm Bureau continues to lobby for legislation that supports effective wildlife management that will reduce the wildlife population in an effort to alleviate continued crop and livestock losses.

Rural Broadband

Kentucky Farm Bureau advocated to establish the Broadband Deployment Fund to provide service to unserved and underserved areas of the Commonwealth.

Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarships

Kentucky Farm Bureau partnered with other workforce development groups to secure passage of legislation allowing Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarships (KEES) to be used at proprietary trade schools focusing on Career and Technical Education.

 

NATIONAL

Decades of Effective Farm Policy

Kentucky Farm Bureau has ensured that all of Kentucky agriculture is represented when the National Farm Bills are discussed and voted on in Congress.

Tobacco Quota Buyout

Kentucky Farm Bureau was the leading driver for the National Tobacco Quota Buyout. The buyout had more positive effect on KY than any other state in the Union. The money has empowered farmers to transition from tobacco into other agriculture ventures.

Helping to Ensure That Family Farms Can Stay in Family Hands

Kentucky Farm Bureau lobbied diligently over several sessions of Congress to help ensure that families won’t lose their land and assets to ultra-exorbitant Federal Inheritance and Estate Taxes.

Years of Funding for Career and Technical Education

One of the most important assets to Kentucky’s rural communities is Career and Technical Education (CTE). Kentucky Farm Bureau relentlessly lobbies for, and ensures protection for, Carl D. Perkins funding to support the states CTE Programs.

Freedom for Farm Vehicle Operators

Kentucky Farm Bureau helped orchestrate a campaign to fight off attempts by the federal government to require a Commercial Driver’s License for farmers to move farm equipment and heavier farm trucks on public roads.    

WOTUS Final Rule

Kentucky Farm Bureau leaders were instrumental in efforts to have the overreaching 2015 Clean Water Rule (WOTUS) rescinded by EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers. The agencies are now formulating new rules that would clearly define what navigable waters fall under their jurisdiction.