Cattle from certified farms would bring their producers an extra 4 cents a pound through the program. Once most farmers were certified, Stevenson says, the incentive could be dropped because Kentucky's cows would be healthier and would draw much more money from buyers. Such programs to expand the number of cows and their value could have a serious effect on the state's economy. The association estimates that production could be increased 20 percent with improved management and production. Stevenson says that beef is gaining ground on chicken and pork nationally, making the Kentucky market ripe for expansion.
Beef cattle are third behind horses and tobacco as Kentucky's most valuable agricultural product.
Kentucky is the largest beef cattle farming state east of the Mississippi River. A packing facility in the state would allow cows to stay in Kentucky from conception to consumption. The longer they're here, Stevenson says, the more money they'll bring for the state and its farmers. Cows are sold by the pound, so the bigger they are when they leave the farm, the more money they're worth. Cows are born there and kept until they're 6 to 8 months old.