VERSAILLES, Ky. — A new multimillion dollar farming project aims to bring together farming resources in Kentucky and highlight the importance of the livestock industry to the state.

What You Need To Know

  • The Kentucky Livestock Innovation Center will provide learning and teaching opportunities for livestock producers, food and retail partners

  • Thanks to a $22 million investment from the Kentucky General Assembly, KCA is able to partner with the University of Kentucky to bring the Kentucky Livestock Innovation Center to the C. Oran Little Research Center

  • Cows, pigs, sheep, chickens and horses will all be there, along with workshops, training, even a culinary center

  • The state has more than 74,000 farms, all of which, will be able to benefit from what’s being built in Woodford County

The Kentucky Livestock Innovation Center will provide learning and teaching opportunities for livestock producers, food and retail partners.

Nikki Whitaker grew up around the livestock industry, and wants to see it thrive in Kentucky. For it to continue to do so, she says farmers need to adapt.

“I love this industry, and I want to retain this industry for our state, and for our region,” Whitaker said. “The farming industry is changing. We see a decrease in animals. And increase in the age of our farmers. So the livestock industry really needs a center that will help them learn new practices.”

Now she’s playing a part in providing that center as the Director of Operations for the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association. Thanks to a $22 million investment from the Kentucky General Assembly, KCA can partner with the University of Kentucky to bring the Kentucky Livestock Innovation Center to the C. Oran Little Research Center, a research farm in Woodford County.

“Cash receipts in Kentucky for the agriculture industry is about $8 billion. And the livestock industry gives more than half of that,” Whitaker said. “The Livestock Innovation center will synergize all of the research being done for our livestock industry and be that conduit out to our producers.”

All livestock producers will be welcome. Cows, pigs, sheep, chickens and horses will all be there. Along with workshops, training, even a culinary center, for people to learn and gain a greater appreciation of where their food comes from.

That’s something Stephanie Tewes of the Tewes Poultry Farm in Erlanger appreciates.

“Well, it’s definitely hard work. And I think that’s why there are so few farmers nowadays,” Tewes said. “If we don’t have farmers, we don’t have food. And I don’t think a lot of people realize how big agriculture is to the whole United States. It teaches you values from the time we were little kids. We were here helping on the farm.”

Now others who might not otherwise have gotten that opportunity will be able to get their hands dirty at the center. Whitaker is hopeful it’ll help foster the next generation of farmers.

“If we can retain that student in the ag industry, or just going through our colleges here in Kentucky, then that’s a win for us,” she said.

The state has over 74,000 farms, all of which, Whitaker said, will benefit from what’s being built in Woodford County.

The Livestock Innovation Center is hiring a construction manager and architect for the project. To learn more about what the center will offer, visit the website.

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