Dairy Month celebrated at area high school

GLASGOW, Ky. – The cold milk was flowing today in Glasgow. It’s Dairy Month in Kentucky. The state’s agriculture commissioner stopped by Barren County today to talk about the importance of Kentucky dairy farmers.

Borden Dairy provided free milk to attendees at Barren County High School while people recognized local dairy farmers, a precious resource in a rural state.

According to the executive director of the Kentucky Dairy Development Council, H.H. Barlow milk is an economic driver. He says Barren County is the largest milk-producing county in the state.

But it’s an industry that’s been struggling recently, according to Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles.

The industry is one that has been passed down from generation to generation. Bethany Schalk, a recent high school graduate and Future Farmers of America officer plans to help further the industry. She says she wants to be a voice that advocates for farmers in the future.

And with cars and SUVs lined up before the giveaway started, Park City resident Heather Reynolds summed up the excitement from a consumer’s point of view, saying it was helpful for people who couldn’t easily afford to buy milk.

During today’s stop in Glasgow, Quarles also pointed to the importance of the agriculture industry during crises like the pandemic.

According to Quarles, farmers across the state have given away 10,000 pounds of sausage and over 500,000 eggs so far through COVID-19.