Welcome to the Kentucky Goat Producers Association website. We hope that you enjoy your visit and come back soon. The site will be updated continuously to bring you timely information and assistance.
"Every man owes a part of his time and money to the business or industry in which he is engaged."
Theodore Roosevelt
Three National Goat Shows come to Louisville This Summer
June and July are jam-packed this year, with the American Boer Goat Association, the American Dairy Goat Association and the International Boer Goat Association all bringing their National Shows to the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center in Louisville.
ABGA starts off the festivities June 8-12 Check their website for details at http://www.abga.org/
ADGA rolls in next June 19-26 Find out more at http://www.adga.org/
IBGA beats the heat in July at the air conditioned Fair Grounds Get the scoop at
http://www.intlboergoat.org/index.php
As if that weren't enough, the Kentucky State Fair runs August 19-29 http://www.kystatefair.org with dairy and meat goats. Is this a great goat state or what?!?!?!
Guiding the Flock
The Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office was profiled in the March issue of Kentucky Farm Bureau News, pages 14-15. Click here to read it on-line.
Dr. Ken Andries, Kentucky State University and Ray Bowman survey part of the KSU meat goat herd.
Kentucky Cheesemaking School takes hands-on approach
Since Susan Miller opened Kentucky’s first certified goat dairy and cheese plant in 2007, more and more producers have followed suit. The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture teamed up with Kentucky State University and industry partners to offer a three-day, hands-on Kentucky Cheesemaking School recently to show producers the basics of making a commercial, value-added cheese product.
| Photo: Steve Zeng, Langston University and Susan Miller, Bleugrass Chevre |
“The school was for anyone who wants to learn to make cheese using milk from goats, sheep or cows,” said Terry Hutchens, UK extension goat specialist. “They learned the latest technology and the basics of good sanitation practices and quality analysis.”
The school, hosted at Miller’s Bluegrass Chevre, Farmstead Goat Cheese in Clark County was March 16 through 18 and attracted more than 2 dozen participants. On the first day, they learned to make hard cheeses like colby and Cheddar and begin a process for softer cheeses such as cream cheese, Brie and Camembert. On the second day, participants continued making soft cheeses and began making feta and Parmesan. The third day, participants finished all cheese, begin making yogurt and also took part in a sensory evaluation of all the cheeses.
Hutchens said organizers expect participants, upon completing the school, will have a basic knowledge of milk quality, handling and sanitation. They should also have basic skills in cheese manufacturing, ripening, milk testing and cheese evaluation.
“We aren’t stopping at how to make cheese,” Hutchens said. “We want them to understand how cheesemaking knowledge can add value to their operations and also to have a basic understanding of how to market the cheese they make to enhance their income.”
Coleman introduces goat meat products at Whole Foods
Coleman Natural Foods announced the introduction of natural, pasture-raised, halal-certified Rocky Mountain goat meat products. The new offerings are currently available at Whole Foods Market stores in multiple U.S. regions.
Raised in Colorado and Wyoming, the goat meat is also free of antibiotics, preservatives, hormones, nitrates, nitrites and MSG and is 100 percent vegetarian-fed (no animal by-products, pesticides or herbicides). The goat meat is also raised by pre-certified farmers, has received source verification and is animal welfare- and food safety-certified.
The products are sold in the meat freezer section at Whole Foods Markets in retail-ready packed bags. Legs, loins and racks are available in one-piece bags, and stew meat from the shoulder is cubed and vacuum-packed in bulk.
Kentucky no longer 'Sheepish' about Goats
In a state known for its tobacco and cattle, sheep and goat production is proving to be a viable option for farmers and has Kentucky emerging as a leader in the two industries. And many are beginning to take notice. Gov. Steve Beshear signed a proclamation declaring last October as Sheep and Goat Month. Click here to read the entire story in Business Lexington...
Gov. Beshear Proclaims October Sheep & Goat Month in Kentucky
Gov. Steve Beshear signs Sheep and Goat Month proclamation. Joining the Governor are Agriculture Commissioner Ritchie Farmer, KY Sheep and Wool President Kathy Meyer KY Sheep and Goat Development Office Executive Director Ray Bowman, GOAP Executive Director Roger Thomas and First Lady Jane Beshear - photo by Brian Moore, Creative Services
Governor Steve Beshear recognized two of Kentucky's livestock industries by proclaiming October 2009 Sheep and Goat Month in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Gov. Beshear signed the proclamation in recognition of the importance of these industries to the Commonwealth.
Kentucky has historically been a focal point for sheep production in the eastern US. Additionally, the state has taken a leadership role in the emerging goat industry, a rapidly growing segment of American Agriculture.
According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, Kentucky raised 91,227 goats on 4,808 farms and 36,996 sheep on 1,436 farms.
Goats Greening Up Bluegrass Station landfill sites
Stories of large corporations and cities using goats to graze green spaces are cropping up all over the country. Now Bluegrass Station in Fayette County is partnering with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and area goat producers to green up some landfill sites.
Going to the Goats
“It’s becoming almost chic,” Ray Bowman says with a laugh, “I never thought I’d say that.”
Bowman is talking about goats — more specifically, goat farming and the rising popularity of goat meat amongst America’s elite chefs...continue reading
East Kentucky project pairs cattle with goats for co-grazing research
JACKSON, Ky., (Aug. 6, 2008) – What would happen if cattle grazed the same pastures with goats? That’s exactly what University of Kentucky College of Agriculture specialists are collaborating with a Breathitt County farmer to find out. Click Here for complete story
