Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) President Eddie Melton delivered his annual address this morning during the organization’s 106th Annual Meeting in Louisville, reflecting on a fast-moving year marked by legislative gains, unprecedented youth participation, community outreach and continued strength across the state’s agricultural community.

Melton opened by thanking members for their commitment to the organization. “You out here in the audience are the foundation of Kentucky Farm Bureau. You are what drives this whole organization forward.”

The KFB President recognized the importance of member-driven policy development, noting the significance of the day’s upcoming business session. “The most important thing that we do is at 2 o’clock this afternoon, when we set our policy and the direction for our organization.”

Melton also reflected on this year’s Annual Meeting theme, “United We Can,” calling it fitting for the organization’s continued focus on collaboration. “When we all work together for whatever we do in our rural communities … we can accomplish so much more.”

Melton highlighted significant growth in youth engagement, including the Young Farmer Program, collegiate Farm Bureau chapters and increased participation from FFA, 4-H and FCCLA members. “My goodness, our youth programs are just hitting on all cylinders,” he said. “I’m so encouraged by our young people and the work that they’re doing.”

He said a major highlight of the year was the progress made by KFB’s Kentucky Farmland Transition Initiative at both state and federal levels. Melton described the expansion of the Selling Farmer Tax Credit as “one step in … protecting farmland and keeping it in the hands of farmers.”

He also expressed gratitude for Senator Mitch McConnell’s leadership on the Protecting American Farmland Act, which was signed into law as part of the Trump Administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill. It’s “the first time there’s ever been any capital gains relief on the federal level of keeping farmland in production agriculture,” Melton said.

He went on to acknowledge the difficult growing conditions of the year, saying, “It’s been said that we had the wettest spring in the history of Kentucky … but then August came around and it was probably one of the driest Augusts that we’ve ever had.”

Despite hardships, he said, “We’re resilient as farmers, and we’ll get through that.”

He also referenced major storms and flooding in 2025, where “Farm Bureau showed up” for Kentuckians.

“The hailstorm that we had in March, the second largest storm in the history of our organization, followed by those devastating tornadoes,” Melton said. Providing relief following disasters is “what Kentucky Farm Bureau is designed to do.”

Melton shared the importance of legacy in his look ahead. “The one thing that I want most … is that we make sure that we can secure agriculture for future generations to come.”

He added a message of resolve drawn from a video shown earlier: “We didn’t come this far to only come this far. We need to continue the work that we've been doing … but we want to be the strongest voice of agriculture that there is, and I'm excited about 2026 and what it brings for us.”