Shelby County Agriculture

Shelby County has a wide representation of agricultural enterprises that have cash receipts totaling over $44 million dollars (source: 2003 NASS/USDA Kentucky Agricultural Statistics Survey). Economic research shows that the impact from these receipts can turn over seven times within a community. The $44 million only includes the receipts from tobacco, corn, soybeans, wheat, hay, and livestock. It does not include receipts from some of the other significant areas of agriculture like equine, goats, sheep, sod, fruits and vegetables, as well as nurseries. If we were to factor in these other areas Shelby County would likely rank in the top ten for ag receipts in the state.

Shelby County has over 1500 farms, with an average farm size of 130 acres and still has a significant number of full time farmers. While, tobacco production and the number of dairies have decreased we still remain third in the state in tobacco production and 16th in dairy production. The remaining of our traditional crops like corn, soybeans, and beef cattle has not decreased at all.

In fact beef production has increased over the past couple of years. An increase most likely from the number of part-time farmers who have chosen to remain in farming because of the enjoyment and supplemental income associated with it. Today's cattle numbers are double what they were in the 1930's.

Agriculture provides not only an economic benefit of over $42.8 million to this community and our state, but also an aesthetic benefit that cannot be measured. We hope, as we move forward with unavoidable development, that agriculture's voice be heard so that our comprehensive plan protects existing operations, encourages new agricultural endeavors and enables ag operations to comply with ordinances without experiencing any undue burden.