KENTUCKY FARM BUREAU 2025 STATE PRIORITY ISSUES

AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

• Maintain allocating 50% of the Master Settlement Agreement funds to the Agricultural Development Board, and funds be spent for the purpose of improving the net farm income of individual farmers in production agriculture.
• Support continued funding of the Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost-Share Program.
• Support an efficient, well-administered and adequately financed Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
• Support a low interest loan program administered through KOAP for active farmers to purchase farmland that will stay in production agriculture for a minimum of 10 years.

TAXATION

• Support maintaining the Kentucky selling farmer tax credit.
• Kentucky’s tax code should be reformed based on sound economic principles to create a more competitive business climate.
• Strongly oppose freezing the state real property tax rate.
• Support the provisions of House Bill 44 (KRS 132.010). Revenue from property taxes should continue to be limited to 4% plus new growth. Proposals to exceed 4% should automatically go to the voters.
• Maintain Kentucky’s sales tax exemptions for production agriculture and establish a process for obtaining a wallet-sized sales tax exemption card.

HIGHWAYS, ROADS, AND BRIDGES

• Support the rural secondary and county road aid programs and continuation of the 22.2% allocation of the state gasoline tax revenue for rural roads.

ENERGY

• Support a decommissioning bond on all commercial solar projects. These bonds should be reviewed at least every three years.
• Support oversight of ownership and control for energy infrastructure

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

• Support funding for the broadband deployment fund.
• Support efforts and incentives to improve and provide all telecommunications in rural Kentucky.
• Support efforts that will retain and attract new business and industry to rural areas of Kentucky with a priority on agricultural processing facilities.
• Support increased funding for Kentucky riverports to upgrade their agricultural infrastructure.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

• Seek effective wildlife management that will reduce the wildlife population in an effort to alleviate continued crop and livestock losses, automobile accidents, human injuries, and loss of life.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY

• Oppose any agency exceeding legislative intent in the implementation of regulations.
• Oppose the power of eminent domain being used to take private property for private use.
• Support increased transparency and a premium payment for agricultural land that is taken through eminent domain.
• Support labeling legislation for agricultural inputs to ensure availability of products that have been approved by EPA.

FORESTRY

• Support forestry initiatives that enhance the economy and create opportunities for woodland owners.