Regional Cold Storage Initiative

Multi-County Coalition Established to Provide

Cold Storage Facilities and Infrastructure for Region’s Farmers

(Glasgow, KY).  The Fiscal Courts for Allen County, Barren County, and Hart County have joined forces to meet a significant need for cold storage facilities and infrastructure for the region’s farmers.  The three counties have come together to create the Barren River Agriculture County Coalition (BRACC) and have selected Blumberg Grain and Logistics to work with them on the planning, development and construction of this crucial agriculture infrastructure.

Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Byrd said that she, Allen County Judge-Executive Dennis Harper and Hart County Judge-Executive Joe Choate have been talking to area farmers and Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell for some time as farmers and producers across the region face rising transportation and storage costs that were impacting their ability to stay in business.  “Our farmers are one of the backbones of our region’s economy and Judge Harper, Judge Choate and I felt it was imperative that we do whatever we can to help them with the infrastructure they need” said Judge Byrd.

Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell has been leading statewide efforts to strengthen markets for Kentucky-grown products, and expanding cost-effective cold storage capacity is an essential part of that work. Commissioner Shell said, “Growing markets for Kentucky agriculture is one of my top priorities, and infrastructure is a key part of that. I appreciate these county leaders for stepping up with a regional solution that will lower costs, support productivity, and help our farm families remain profitable. This is exactly the kind of teamwork that moves Kentucky agriculture forward.”

Allen County Judge-Executive Dennis Harper pointed out that he and the other Judge-Executives wanted to help provide needed infrastructure for farmers such as cold storage facilities so that the region’s farmers can have as many economic advantages as possible.  “As our farmers expand their existing crop production and expand into other, high-value crops, it’s very important that they get help and assistance from their local governments and this was one area that we knew would be of great impact to our farmers” said Judge Harper.

Philip F. Blumberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Blumberg Grain, said that he and his company were looking forward to working with the Coalition to provide the cold storage infrastructure that the counties want to provide.  “Our company has provided food security solutions around the world for a long time but we recently decided to provide our solutions domestically and I am very proud of the fact that we will be assisting these county governments.  It’s a very unique approach by local governments to aid their region’s farmers in this manner but I think it is a great approach and one that I believe will be copied in other parts of the country.”

Hart County Judge-Executive Joe Choate said that the Coalition believed that a team approach was the best way to help the region’s farmers grow their markets and their opportunities.  “County governments are focused on helping provide the economic development tools that can help key parts of our local economies expand and add the new jobs that we all need.  I’m glad that our counties are working together to do this crucial infrastructure work and I applaud Commissioner Shell for his help and assistance on this initiative.”

BRACC will initially work with the Commissioner’s Office and Blumberg Grain to conduct a feasibility study and initiate preliminary design of the needed facilities and then will work with various funding agencies and the Kentucky General Assembly to put together a financing package for the initial phase of the project.