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Conservation District announces award winners

Awards given to art contestants and two master conservationists

May 28, 2008|Special to the Sun

Several were honored at the annual meeting of the Clark County Conservation District, held at the Extension Service facility on May 1.

Kenneth Segress and Anthony Childers were named Master Conservationists for their outstanding efforts in improving their farming operations through enahancing and maintaining soil and water resources. Larry Stewart was also named the 2007 Outstanding Cooperator.

In addition, recognition was given to the Conservation Art and Writing Contest winners. These winners were chosen from a total of 245 posters and 100 essays. The 2007 theme was "Kentucky's Wildlife." The contest is co-sponsored annually with the (Louisville) Courier-Journal, Kentucky Farm Bureau and Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts. County winners named for the writing contest were: Michael Dobbs, first place, GRCHS; Mary Kate Young, Winchester Christian Academy, second place; and Ryan Hunter, St. Agatha Academy, third place.

In the art contest, county winners were: Tyler Howard, Strode Station, first place; Johnna Scott, Shearer, second place; and McKenna Denham, Hannah McClure, third place.

Other first place school winners were: Krista Wasson, Clark Middle, writing; Emilie Stevenson, Hannah McClure, art; Rachel Drumm, Trapp, art; and Amanda Frye, Pilot View, art.

The guest speaker for the evening was Mr. Joe Neaveill, Chief of Staff with the Governor's Office of Agriculture Policy, who provided an overview of the many functions of the GOAP, including the oversight of the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board. The board was created to serve by distributing the monies from the Master Settlement Agreement for the purpose of agriculture development in the Commonwealth.

Over 90 million dollars in county Ag Development funds have been invested toward proposals that increase net farm income, assist tobacco impacted communities and agriculture across the state. Joel Neaveill stated that Clark and other counties statewide that administer local ag development programs, assist the state board and GOAP by investing funds to stimulate markets for Kentucky products, finding new ways to add value and exploring new opportunities for Kentucky agriculture.

Joel mentioned the Governor's new Kentucky Agriculture Relief Effort program, funded wiht state ag development funds to help farmers recover from devastation by the late freeze last spring and extreme drought conditions throughout summer and fall.

He noted that Clark County's was the first application received for the KARE program and will be administered by the local Conservation District, offering eligible investments to make improvements related to water availability and forage to hel plessen the impact of future weather problems.

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