An exciting new chapter for Kentucky’s livestock industry began recently as livestock producers joined Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association staff and their legislative, academic and industry partners to break ground for the Kentucky Livestock Innovation Center.

“This facility will be designed to benefit our producers by using and communicating new technology and research from the farm to help them become more profitable and their operations more sustainable, not just in the immediate future but for future generations,” said Dr. David Williams, chairman of the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation and the center’s construction oversight committee.

The center was made possible through a two-year, $22 million appropriation from the Kentucky General Assembly to the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation in April. This appropriation was passed in House Bill 1, which funded several one-time infrastructure products form the state’s budget reserve trust fund.

Located on 15 acres at the University of Kentucky’s C. Oran Little Research Center in Versailles, the Kentucky Livestock Innovation Center is a unique public-private partnership between the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association and the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. The two organizations have had a wonderful working relationship for many years.

“We are excited for them not only to be our partners, but also our neighbors,” said Nancy Cox, dean of the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “The Kentucky Livestock Innovation Center will complement our new Meat and Food Workforce Development Center that will also soon be built on the farm. Both centers will work to advance livestock production and develop value-added products for the industry. It’s one of most wonderful public-private partnerships I’ve experienced during my time at UK.”

The center will serve as the central coordinating location for advancing livestock and agricultural production within Kentucky and around the eastern United States. To accomplish this, center staff will work with industry and university partners to find innovative answers to industry challenges, increase producer marketing opportunities and net farm income, support the next generation of producers and improve the sustainability of the industry.

The center will also be home to a Culinary Training Center, which will help increase consumer demand for value-added products and provide education and workforce development opportunities for employees in food processing, manufacturing, restaurant and retail industries.

“It’s really unbelievable to be at this point and imagine all the partnerships and possibilities that are in front of us,” said Jeff Pettit, Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association president and vice chair of the center’s construction oversight committee. “I really think this center will impact producers all over the eastern U.S. and make us a hub for protein production across the region.”

The idea for the center began five years ago with the completion of a long-range plan conducted by the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association.

The project has strong support from the Kentucky Livestock Coalition which includes members from the Kentucky Pork Producers, Kentucky Soybean Board, Kentucky Poultry Federation, Kentucky Dairy Development Council, Kentucky Corn Growers Association, Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office, Kentucky House Council, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky Farm Bureau and others.

More information about the center is available at https://www.livestockinnovationcenter.org.

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