greater owensboro Chamber of commerce
CHAMBER MATTERS FEB. Vol 20/Issue 2
2022
Rooster Booster to feature Brian Lacefield, Director of the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy The Chamber will host its Rooster Booster breakfast this Thursday, February 3 at 7:30 a.m. at the Owensboro Convention Center (501 West Second Street). The program is co-sponsored by Daviess County Farm Bureau and Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service and will feature Brian Lacefield, Director of the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy. Reserve your spot now at www.Chamber.owensboro. com or by calling the Chamber office at (270) 926-1860. COST IN ADVANCE: $15 for Chamber Members and $25 for non-members. COST AT THE DOOR: $20 for Chamber Members and $25 for non-members.
Daviess County Farm Bureau was established in 1922 and is currently celebrating its Centennial Anniversary! “Gaining Ground” is our new slogan, and in 100 years of service, we have helped members to obtain electric and phone services to now working for better broadband service to those in rural areas. Our membership has gone from 100 families to over 11,000 families. We will continue to “Gain Ground” for our members as we move through 2022! The Daviess County Farm Bureau is the “Voice of Kentucky Agriculture” and is very active in all legislative aspects of our county, state, and national governments. We support our community by sponsoring our local 4-H clubs, FFA Chapters, teachers educating students about agriculture in the classroom, the Farm-City Breakfast, the Annual Ag Expo, and providing six academic scholarships for our members’ students, as well as promoting many other local initiatives involving agriculture and education. Membership in Kentucky Farm Bureau/Daviess County has outstanding benefits, and we’re not just talking about supporting Kentucky agriculture or getting a great deal on an insurance policy. Members enjoy state and local discounts from many of Farm Bureau’s participating retailers and partners. The Daviess County Farm Bureau has four offices to better serve our membership and our community. Please visit kyfb.com and daviess.kyfb.com to learn more about the many ways that being a Farm Bureau member can be a rewarding experience.
The Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service provides our community with sciencebased education relevant to people of all backgrounds in the areas of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, Horticulture, and 4-H Youth Development. We provide soil testing and diagnostic services for plant diseases, insects, weeds, and management recommendations. The Supplemental Nutrition Education Program (SNAP-Ed) is federally funded and conducted by UK Cooperative Extension. SNAP-Ed provides nutrition education, cooking tips, recipes, and money-saving ideas to limitedresource families. 4-H offers many programs to youth ages 5-19. Youth ages 9-15 are provided with a unique opportunity to experience the best week of summer at West Kentucky 4-H Camp! Youth attending 4-H Camp have the chance to interact with other Daviess County youth, as well as campers from surrounding West Kentucky counties, to gain independence skills and enjoy the outdoors. This 4-day, 3-night event provides everything from crafts and cooking to canoeing and swimming. Teens 16-17 can join us in mentoring these campers to gain valuable leadership experience for future resumes! Adult volunteers are also imperative to make this camping experience possible. For more information, call the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Office at 270-685-8480!
For more information about our upcoming Chamber Celebration and current list of sponsors, see page 4.
Brian Lacefield, of Versailles, was named the new director of the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy in April of 2021. Lacefield most recently served as the Kentucky State Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), where he directed and administered FSA programs and managed staff across the state. Prior to joining the Trump administration, Lacefield served in various roles in the agriculture industry, most recently as market president at Trigg Brian Lacefield County FNB Bank. He has also worked as chief financial officer of Agri-Chem and general manager for Commonwealth Agri-Finance, both divisions of Hopkinsville Elevator Cooperative. He served as vice president of agriculture and commercial banking with Planters Bank and as an area extension specialist with the University of Kentucky Farm Business Management Program. Lacefield has been a board member for the Kentucky Retail Federation, Kentucky Corn Growers, Kentucky FFA Foundation, and the Kentucky Ag Leadership Program. Over the past decade, he has served nonprofits and charitable organizations in his communities including Cadiz Rotary, the United Way of the Pennyrile and the Hopkinsville Farmers Market. Lacefield is a graduate of Western Kentucky University, where he gained a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness and a master’s degree in agriculture. He also holds a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Florida. Lacefield and his wife, Michelle, live in Versailles with their two children, Brianne and Braden.
The Farm City Breakfast, presented by Daviess County Farm Bureau and the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, is an annual celebration of the Daviess County agriculture economy and its partnership with the city community. This year’s Farm City Breakfast will feature a panel discussion on mental health in agriculture. Panelists will include Joan Hayden with Hayden Farms and Hayden Electric, Dr. Wanda Figueroa Peralta with RiverValley
& Affiliates, and Dr. Julie Marfell with the University of Kentucky School of Nursing. Additionally, Chloe Ebelhar with Apollo High School FFA, will present her award-winning speech on mental health to the crowd. Tickets to the event are $7 and are available for purchase in advance on the Chamber website or by calling (270) 926-1860. Sponsorships for the event are available through February 18 for $50. For more information, contact Kenzie Tomes at ktomes@owensboro.com.