UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 376
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AN ACT relating to urban youth agriculture education. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
ď˘SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 247 IS CREATED TO 3
READ AS FOLLOWS: 4
(1) As used in this section: 5
(a) "Extension service" means the University of Kentucky Cooperative 6
Extension Service; 7
(b) "Farm land" means land that is part of a farming operation or business 8
enterprise engaged in the production of agricultural products, commodities, 9
or livestock and is operated by a person, legal entity, or joint operation that 10
is eligible to receive payments directly or indirectly under one (1) or more 11
United States Department of Agriculture programs; 12
(c) "Initiative" means the Kentucky Urban Farming Youth Initiative 13
established in this section; 14
(d) "Program" means any educational program that is part of the initiative; 15
and 16
(e) "Urban counties" means counties with a population of one hundred fifty 17
thousand (150,000) or more according to the most recent federal decennial 18
census. 19
(2) There is hereby established the Kentucky Urban Farming Youth Initiative, which 20
shall be administered by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension 21
Service and its individual offices within the Commonwealth as appropriate. The 22
extension service shall initiate a pilot program in one (1) or more individual 23
offices beginning August 1, 2025, and shall administer the initiative in all 24
appropriate offices throughout the Commonwealth beginning August 1, 2026. 25
(3) The initiative shall: 26
(a) Promote farming and the efficient use of land in urban counties; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 376
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(b) Educate program participants on all aspects of farming in an urban 1
environment and encourage other members of the community to begin and 2
to continue farming; and 3
(c) Provide a sufficient understanding of farming operations so that graduating 4
participants may obtain an agriculture sales tax exemption license number 5
in accordance with KRS 139.481 and subsequently operate successful, 6
small-scale farms within their communities. 7
(4) The length of each program term shall be one (1) year in duration, and each term 8
shall begin in January on a date specified by the extension service. Programs 9
shall be available to applicants at each extension service office located within or 10
serving an urban county of the Commonwealth. An office may work with an 11
existing state or local agricultural organization to better provide for the 12
administration of a program and the initiative. 13
(5) Each extension service office administering a program shall accept and review 14
applications from eligible applicants. Program participation shall be at the 15
discretion of each office and shall include as many participants as is practicable 16
on an annual basis. To be eligible to participate in a program, an applicant shall: 17
(a) Be at least six (6) years of age and no more than eighteen (18) years of age; 18
(b) Have fully authorized access to no less than one-hundredth (0.01) of an 19
acre of farm land located within the jurisdiction of the extension service 20
office administering the program on which to farm; 21
(c) Identify a parent or legal guardian who shall provide assistance and 22
guidance for the applicant's participation in the program for the duration of 23
the term; and 24
(d) Be available to participate in the program for the full duration of the term. 25