FOR-130: Kentucky Logging BMP Field Guide

Jeff Stringer | April 21, 2026 (New)

This guide is designed as a field reference for loggers to help meet the mandatory BMP minimum requirements for water quality protection. The guide contains the minimum requirements for each BMP and recommendations that can be used to effectively and efficiently implement the minimum requirements.

RB-357: Commercial Feeds in Kentucky, 2025

Glen Harrison | April 20, 2026 (New)

Kentucky’s commercial feed law (KRS 250.491-250.631) dates from 1906 and was last revised in 1996. This feed law provides protection for the state’s livestock, poultry, and pet owners by regulating all feed materials offered for sale or for mixing into a feed. Products falling under regulation include all types of pet foods, livestock minerals, complete animal and poultry feeds, protein or mineral blocks, supplements, feed ingredients, specialty materials such as drug premixes, vitamin and mineral supplements, liquid feeds, pet supplements, pet treats, and other specialized pet foods. The law does provide for exemptions for whole and unprocessed grain, raw meat, hay, straw, stover, silage, cobs, husks, and hulls when not processed.

FOR-148: Landowners Guide to Challenges of Upland Oak Regeneration

Jeff Stringer, Darren Morris | April 20, 2026 (New)

Upland oak forests are one of the most dominate forest types in the Eastern United States. To regenerate, oak forests must produce enough acorns that will successfully germinate into small oak seedlings and have the proper conditions so these seedlings can continue to grow into saplings and eventually overstory trees.

FOR-165: Prescribed Fire for Upland Oaks

Callie Jo Schweitzer, Daniel Dey | April 20, 2026 (New)

An objective of using prescribed fire is to improve the reproductive capacity of upland oaks by improving seedling establishment and reducing competition from all sources of natural regeneration.

FOR-142: Landowners Guide to Identification and Characteristics: Southern Red Oak

Laurie Thomas, Darren Morris | April 20, 2026 (New)

Southern red oak is one of the more common upland oaks found in the southeastern United States. It is a medium-sized tree, typically 50 to 70 feet in height. Like many red oaks, it is suitable for timber products and its fruit, the acorn, is a valuable wildlife food. Southern red oak also has value as an urban landscape tree.

FOR-169: Shelterwood Establishment Harvest for Upland Oaks

Jeff Stringer, Callie Jo Schweitzer | April 15, 2026 (New)

The shelterwood establishment harvest (establishment cut) is one step in the shelterwood regeneration system designed to preferentially regenerate intermediate shade tolerant species like oaks.

AGR-284: Cost-Share Opportunities for Kentucky Horse Farms

Krista Lea | April 14, 2026 (New)

Horses are expensive. While this fact is unlikely to change, there are opportunities to assist farm owners in offsetting some of the costs related to horse-farm management. Common improvements that might recover costs include fencing, heavy use areas, pasture renovation, water systems, and hay storage. This publication will provide an overview of three of the most common cost-share opportunities for horse-farm owners in Kentucky and a starting point for exploring these and other programs.

AEC-103: Distillery Grain Demand in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Ohio

Ryan Murphy, Grant Gardner, Tyler Mark, Seth DeBolt | April 1, 2026 (New)

This article discusses the demand for grains by whiskey distilleries and estimates the amount of grain demanded in Kentucky and surrounding states. While the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) estimate grain use for food, it is difficult to assess the impact of distilleries on grain demand. The University of Kentucky Extension publication Bourbon’s Boom: Growth, Trends, and the Role of Agriculture (AEC-104) discusses the growth in bourbon (Murphy et al. 2026); however, this article delves deeper into demand and examines distilleries’ current grain requirements. This article aims to educate producers and the public on the demand for grain in Kentucky distilleries.

AEC-104: Bourbon’s Boom: Growth, Trends, and the Role of Agriculture

Ryan Murphy, Grant Gardner, Tyler Mark, Seth DeBolt | April 1, 2026 (New)

Over the past two decades, bourbon has not only reclaimed its spot as America's native spirit but also emerged as a global symbol of craftsmanship, authenticity, and agricultural heritage. From small craft distilleries to large-scale operations, the U.S. bourbon industry has experienced tremendous growth, driven by shifting consumer preferences, policy changes, and expanding export markets. This publication explores the significant trends shaping the bourbon sector today while highlighting the deep connection between bourbon and American agriculture—particularly the farmers who grow the grains. The University of Kentucky Extension publication Distillery Grain Demand in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Ohio (AEC-103) further highlights the industry’s significance for grain producers by assessing the grain requirements of distilleries in Kentucky and neighboring states (Murphy et al. 2026).

ID-119: Ornamental Gourd Production in Kentucky

Amanda Sears | March 31, 2026 (Major Revision)

Gourds are hard-shelled members of the Cucurbit family and are among the oldest cultivated plants. When dried, they have traditionally been used for many purposes including dippers, spoons, storage containers, bowls, musical instruments, and toys. A few types of gourds are edible if picked when immature but most are valued primarily for their beauty and used for crafts and as decorations.