FRANKFORT, Ky. – Four leading spirits companies and the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) are joining forces with Precision Conservation Management (PCM) and the Kentucky Corn Growers Association (KCGA) to launch a five-year, $2.8 million initiative for Kentucky corn farmers.

The collaborative Kentucky partnership of Brown-Forman, Diageo North America, Heaven Hill Brands and Suntory Global Spirits will support farmers by hiring additional conservation specialists to maximize management education beginning this year.

PCM will work with farmers in central Kentucky to implement regenerative corn growing practices on more than 100,000 acres over five years. With these practices and new on-farm resources, the goal is to ease administrative burdens and identify economic and environmental benefits that can be scaled.

“Farmers are spread thin and are already making hundreds of management decisions each year,” said Greg Goodwin, director of PCM. 

Joseph Sisk, of Sisk Farms in Christian County, looks forward to this venture.

“Having worked closely with PCM since 2015, I have seen how helpful this program has been to my on-farm decision making,” Sisk said. “I routinely work with my conservation specialist to analyze data and confirm the economic benefits of decisions I have made to adopt new practices and innovate for the environment. PCM has also helped me better understand how our practices are closely tied to the supply chain and allows my markets and end-users to trust that our crops will support their sustainability objectives.”

Eric Gregory, KDA president, said, “With much of our distillers’ corn being produced in Kentucky, we see the massive impact that Bourbon has on Kentucky’s ag climate. As these four distilleries unite to support regenerative corn growing practices, I look forward to seeing how new resources and incentives can further propel our local farmers without impacting our bottom line.”

The collaborative effort will also expand PCM’s efforts in Kentucky to benchmark individual farm financials against an anonymized, regional and statewide dataset in an annual Resource Analysis and Assessment Plan. This will be utilized by farmers to understand where they can profitably implement conservation practices.

This service is free to farmers, and they will receive a sign-on incentive for their time. The participating KDA distillery partners will provide additional acre-based incentives to corn growers adopting reduced tillage, cover crops, and maximizing their nitrogen use efficiency to reduce the impact of corn production within the bourbon supply chain.

Kentucky bourbon is a $9 billion economic engine generating more than 23,500 jobs and attracting more than two million visits annually through the KDS’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail experience.

PCM provides data-driven conservation recommendations and on-the-ground support for farmers in Illinois, Nebraska and Kentucky.

Brown-Forman Corp., headquartered in Louisville, has been building spirits brands for more than 150 years. The company’s portfolio of premium brands includes the Jack Daniel’s family of brands, Old Forester, Fords Gin and Coopers’ Craft.

With a team of roughly 5,700 employees worldwide, the company sells its beverages in more than 170 countries.

London-based Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with brands such as Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Smirnoff, DeLeon, Captain Morgan, Baileys and Guinness. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. Diageo products are sold in more than 180 counties.

Heaven Hill Brands was founded in 1935 in Bardstown, Ky. It is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits producer and marketer. Their products include Old Fitzgerald, Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, Admiral Nelson’s Rum and Irish Cream Liqueur.

Suntory Global Spirits, of New York City, is among the world leaders in premium spirits, and brands include Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark. The company also produces scotch, gin and ready-to-drink cocktails.