Kentucky Council on Agriculture.

The purpose of the Kentucky Council on Agriculture, as defined by KRS 247.410-247.430, is to develop and promote a statewide agricultural and agribusiness program, including distribution and promotion of agricultural products.

The duties of the council include offering advice to the commissioner of agriculture concerning agricultural development and marketing of agricultural products; promoting cooperation among public and private agencies concerned with agriculture; preparing studies, reports, and recommendations concerning increasing farm income through the development of a statewide agricultural program; and conducting public and private hearings about the council's programs.

Membership of the council consists of the lieutenant governor, the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, the secretary of the Cabinet for Economic Development, and eighteen citizen members appointed by the commissioner of agriculture, a majority of whom are full-time farmers. Two members are appointed from each congressional district and four from the state-at-large. The commissioner of agriculture serves as chair of the council.

The Kentucky Agriculture Development Commission, created by the Geneneral Assembly in 1966, was attached to the governor's office for administrative purposes. Membership of the commission consisted of the governor, the lieutenant governor, the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, the commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, the dean of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics of the University of Kentucky, and twelve citizen members appointed by the governor (Acts, ch. 87, sec. 4). The commission advised the governor on matters pertaining to agricultural development and submitted an annual report to the governor summarizing its activities.

In 1972, the commission's name was changed to the Governor's Council on Agriculture (Acts, ch. 53, sec. 1). The council was transferred to the Development Cabinet for administrative purposes (Acts, ch. 299, sec. 1).

In 1982, the council's name was changed to the Kentucky Council on Agriculture and it was located administratively within the Energy and Agriculture Cabinet. The membership of the council consisted of the lieutenant governor, the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, the secretary of the Development Cabinet, the secretary of the Energy and Agriculture Cabinet, and eighteen citizen members appointed by the governor (Acts, ch. 447, sec. 17). The council was moved to the Department of Agriculture in 1984, and the commissioner of agriculture took over the governor's duty of appointing the citizens members (Acts, ch. 404, sec. 34).