FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky has always been known as a cow calf-producing state, having the ability to grow grass year around, which sets the state’s beef industry apart from states west of the Mississippi River, according to Andy Bishop, president of the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association.

“Kentucky’s cattle farmers are quickly becoming grass farmers, and are realizing the need to be stewards of the land,” he said.

“The ability to graze cattle year-round makes us a unique state,” he added. “That, coupled with the ability to finish cattle, sets Kentucky apart as a state that can truly provide a product from pasture to plate.”

State cattle producers and industry representatives joined Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles as he signed a proclamation May 8, commemorating the month of May as Kentucky Beef Month.

“(The year) 2022 was a tough year for farmers across our state, with high production costs and weather issues that created tornadoes, floods and droughts,” he said, “but our beef producers rallied through the issues.”

Bishop said, “May Beef month is another way to highlight one of the top five agriculture commodities in Kentucky. Kentucky beef farmers work hard day in and day out to provide a safe, nutritious, wholesome product that consumers will enjoy.”

Bishop said, “Kentucky is home to 38,000 beef farmers who take care of over 2 million head of cattle. The industry is thriving as farmers find new ways to promote their product, and develop niche markets that keep them relevant in the business.”

He said a growing segment of the industry is finishing cattle in the state.

“A declining dairy industry has opened doors to utilize facilities that once housed dairy cows to now finish steers,” he said. “I believe that segment of the industry will continue to grow in this state as producers realize the value in retaining ownership of those genetics that they worked so hard to develop.”

According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, the United States is the world’s largest producer of beef, primarily high-quality, grain-fed beef. Kentucky boasts the eighth largest in the nation, with 38,000 beef cattle producers of the 73,500 total farms in the state.

The January 2023 numbers for beef cows are down 4 percent from 2022, due mainly to a combination of widespread drought last year, high production costs, and high cull cow prices. The impacts of combined issues resulted in large decreases in beef cow numbers nationally, and on a state level.

Despite these issues, the value of this sector means Kentucky’s cattle industry is still a major contributor to the state’s overall economy. According to information from the University of Kentucky’s annual agricultural economic outlook, the state’s cattle industry represents 13 percent of an estimated $8 billion in agricultural cash receipts for 2022.

In 2022, Kentucky produced approximately 727 million pounds of beef valued at $1.01 billion. Beef cattle sales accounted for approximately $1.10 billion in cash receipts to Kentucky producers in 2022 – the first time cash receipts have exceeded $1 billion since 2014 – and gross income of $1.11 billion.

Moreover, cattle cash receipts rank fifth among Kentucky commodities, and account for 13 percent of total cash receipts.

The top five Kentucky counties for the number of beef cattle in 2022 were: Barren, 34,000; Pulaski, 29,500; Madison, 25,000; Breckinridge, 22,000; Warren, 21,500 (tie); and Bourbon, 21,500 (tie).

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has worked to recognize the importance of beef producers, and through the Department’s Office of Agricultural Policy, 38 Kentucky meat processors have been awarded $9,520,471 from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund.

In addition, included was $4,753,825 from the Meat Processing Investment Program, $2,766,646 in Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corp. loans, and $2 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund has also invested more than $20 million in the Kentucky Beef Network since its inception.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture also helps producers find new markets for their cattle, conducts beef cattle shows, tracks market prices, and protects Kentucky’s herds from disease.