Louisville, January 14, 2026
The Kentucky Farm Bureau has unveiled its policy priorities for 2026, focusing on strengthening the agricultural sector in Kentucky. These priorities reflect input from members and aim to enhance productivity, protect crop insurance, expand water resources, and ensure fair trade. In addition to national priorities, state-level policies emphasize investment in agriculture, farmland protection, and improvements to rural infrastructure. These initiatives are designed to foster a pro-business environment that supports local farmers and entrepreneurs in navigating the challenges of the agricultural landscape.
Louisville, Kentucky – Kentucky Farm Bureau Announces 2026 Policy Priorities
Supporting Agriculture’s Future in Kentucky
In a move aimed at bolstering Kentucky’s agricultural sector, the Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) has unveiled its national and state policy priorities for 2026 following their 106th Annual Meeting. These priorities, shaped by member input and approved by the KFB Board of Directors, will serve as a guiding framework for advocacy efforts during the upcoming legislative sessions. The determination and initiative shown by KFB reflect a broader commitment to sustaining Kentucky’s agriculture while fostering a pro-business environment that encourages growth and resilience.
Local entrepreneurs and farmers play a vital role in the state’s economy, and the policies outlined by KFB underscore the need for supportive measures that protect agricultural interests. As Kentucky continues to navigate the complexities of the agricultural landscape, the prioritization of limited regulation and innovative practices stands to enhance productivity and competitiveness across the sector.
National Priorities
- Protecting Crop Insurance: KFB aims to maintain federal crop insurance programs at current levels to provide an effective safety net for agriculture. This includes supporting crop insurance initiatives to uphold the integrity of these programs.
- Expanding Water Resources: The organization advocates for the development of additional water resources for irrigation and livestock use, emphasizing the importance of water availability for agricultural productivity.
- Ensuring Fair Trade: KFB supports fair and open multilateral trade agreements that will open new markets and expand existing markets for U.S. agricultural products.
- Infrastructure Improvements: The bureau calls for the maintenance and improvement of transportation infrastructure, including rural highways, lock and dam systems, riverports, and railroads.
- Regulatory Reform: KFB seeks regulatory reforms grounded in sound science to ensure that policies affecting agriculture are based on reliable data and research.
- Immigration and Farm Labor: The organization advocates for meaningful immigration and farm labor reforms to strengthen the H-2A program, ensuring a reliable workforce for agricultural operations.
- Domestic Production: KFB supports increased domestic fuel and fertilizer production, as well as incentives for sustainable aviation fuel using domestic agricultural feedstocks.
- Tax Policies: The bureau calls for federal tax policies that protect family farms, aiming to preserve the financial viability of family-owned agricultural businesses.
- Healthcare Reforms: KFB advocates for health care reforms that address the unique needs of the agricultural community.
- Wildlife Depredation Protections: The organization seeks stronger wildlife depredation protections for producers to mitigate losses caused by wildlife interactions.
State Priorities
- Agricultural Investment: KFB emphasizes continued investment in agriculture programs and services, including funding for the Agricultural Development Board, soil and water conservation, and a well-supported Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
- Farmland Protection: The organization advocates for policies that protect farmland and existing tax exemptions for production agriculture, aiming to preserve Kentucky’s agricultural heritage.
- Rural Infrastructure: KFB supports sustaining rural road funding and expanding broadband and rural economic development to enhance the quality of life in rural communities.
- Solar Project Regulations: The bureau calls for requiring decommissioning bonds for commercial solar projects to ensure responsible development and environmental stewardship.
- Wildlife Management: KFB seeks to strengthen wildlife management and increase transparency for eminent domain proceedings to protect landowners’ rights.
- Forestry Initiatives: The organization supports forestry initiatives that benefit woodland owners and rural communities, promoting sustainable land use practices.
Background
These priorities reflect Kentucky Farm Bureau’s commitment to advocating for policies that support the state’s agricultural community. By focusing on both national and state issues, KFB aims to address challenges and opportunities facing farmers and ranchers in Kentucky, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future for agriculture in the Commonwealth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are Kentucky Farm Bureau’s top national priorities for 2026?
Kentucky Farm Bureau’s top national priorities for 2026 include protecting crop insurance, expanding water resources for irrigation and livestock, ensuring fair and open trade, improving transportation infrastructure, advocating for regulatory reform grounded in sound science, and strengthening the H-2A program for farm labor. Additional priorities encompass increased domestic fuel and fertilizer production, incentives for sustainable aviation fuel using domestic agricultural feedstocks, federal tax policies that protect family farms, health care reforms, and stronger wildlife depredation protections for producers.
What are Kentucky Farm Bureau’s key state priorities for 2026?
At the state level, Kentucky Farm Bureau’s key priorities for 2026 include continued investment in agriculture programs and services, policies that protect farmland and existing tax exemptions for production agriculture, sustaining rural road funding, requiring decommissioning bonds for commercial solar projects, expanding broadband and rural economic development, strengthening wildlife management, increasing transparency for eminent domain proceedings, and supporting forestry initiatives that benefit woodland owners and rural communities.
How does Kentucky Farm Bureau plan to protect crop insurance in 2026?
Kentucky Farm Bureau plans to protect crop insurance in 2026 by advocating for the maintenance of federal crop insurance programs at current levels, ensuring they continue to provide an effective safety net for agriculture. This includes supporting crop insurance initiatives to uphold the integrity of these programs.
Why is protecting crop insurance important for Kentucky farmers?
Protecting crop insurance is crucial for Kentucky farmers as it offers financial protection against losses due to natural disasters, market fluctuations, and other unforeseen events. Maintaining robust crop insurance programs ensures that farmers have the necessary support to recover and continue their operations, thereby sustaining the agricultural economy in Kentucky.
What is the significance of the 106th Annual Meeting for Kentucky Farm Bureau?
The 106th Annual Meeting of Kentucky Farm Bureau was significant as it provided a platform for members to discuss and approve the organization’s policy priorities for 2026. The meeting facilitated the development of strategies to address both national and state issues affecting the agricultural community, guiding KFB’s advocacy efforts throughout the legislative sessions.
Key Features of Kentucky Farm Bureau’s 2026 Policy Priorities
| Priority Area | National Priorities | State Priorities |
|---|---|---|
| Crop Insurance | Protecting crop insurance to maintain an effective safety net for agriculture. | Not specified. |
| Water Resources | Expanding water resources for irrigation and livestock. | Not specified. |
| Trade | Ensuring fair and open trade agreements for U.S. agricultural products. | Not specified. |
| Infrastructure | Improving transportation infrastructure, including rural highways and waterways. | Sustaining rural road funding. |
| Regulatory Reform | Advocating for regulatory reform grounded in sound science. | Not specified. |
| Immigration and Farm Labor | Strengthening the H-2A program through meaningful immigration and farm labor reforms. | Not specified. |
| Domestic Production | Increasing domestic fuel and fertilizer production, and promoting sustainable aviation fuel using domestic agricultural feedstocks. | Not specified. |
| Tax Policies | Implementing federal tax policies that protect family farms. | Protecting farmland and existing tax exemptions for production agriculture. |
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