State Board of Agriculture names new board members

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Eight new members have been appointed to the State Board of Agriculture.

“Let me be the first to say ‘congratulations’ and welcome to the new members of the State Board of Agriculture,” Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said. “This is one of the most important boards that works with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture throughout the year. I look forward to working with each member to advance the priorities of Kentucky’s farm families.”

The new members appointed Nov. 22 by Gov. Matt Bevin are:

• Jed Clark of Graves County, who represents crop farmers for a term expiring Aug. 1, 2023, grows soybeans, corn, and hemp near Lynnville
• Daniel Hayden of Daviess County, who represents animal agriculture for a term expiring Aug. 1, 2023, manages Hayden Farms, his family’s poultry and cattle operation
• Adam Hinton of Fleming County, who represents agribusinesses for a term expiring Aug. 1, 2023, is vice president of Hinton Mills in Cynthiana
• Robert Coleman James III of Fayette County, who represents crop farmers for a term expiring Aug. 1, 2022, raises tobacco, corn, wheat, and rye on his family’s historic Walnut Lawn Farm
• Micah Lester of Trigg County, who represents crop farmers for a term expiring Aug. 1, 2021, grows corn, soybeans, and wheat for Lester Family Farms near Gracey
• Eddie Melton of Webster County, who represents Kentucky Farm Bureau for a term expiring Aug. 1, 2021, is first vice president of KFB
• Sam F. Halcomb of Logan County, who represents crop farmers for a term expiring Aug. 1, 2020, raises corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, and rye on his family’s Walnut Grove Farms
• Louie Rivers Jr. of Franklin County, who represents farmers at-large for a term expiring Aug. 1, 2020, previously served as director of county operations for Kentucky State University’s Cooperative Extension Program

Five board members were reappointed:

• Mary Bach of Bath County
• Becky Brady of Fayette County
• Tony Cowherd of Taylor County
• Mark Reding of Nelson County
• Billy Glenn Turpin of Madison County

The first meeting of the new board will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6 in Frankfort, following the swearing in of Kentucky’s constitutional officers, including the Commissioner Quarles, in the Capitol rotunda. The meeting will include an orientation session and a review of the duties of members.