History of KHC
In 1990, leaders in Kentucky horticulture realized the various industry segments needed a unified voice when communicating needs and opportunities to legislators, state agencies, and universities. The successes of individual associations in this arena had been few. At times in the past, associations were pitted against each other when pushing for more support, changes in policy, and other needs. Many common issues existed on which cooperative effort between industry organizations would be best. In late 1990, Dr. Dewayne Ingram, Chair of the Horticulture Department at the University of Kentucky, led informal discussion about creating an umbrella group to represent all of Kentucky horticulture.
The UK Horticulture Department hosted a meeting of the officers of the 13 industry and professional organizations related to Kentucky horticulture in Lexington in February, 1991. That meeting resulted in the establishment of the Kentucky Horticulture Council with three primary objectives:
- To provide an avenue for the various segments of Kentucky horticulture and the landscape architecture profession to focus on common issues.
- To promote Kentucky horticulture to Kentucky citizens, state legislators, senators and representatives to the US Congress, university leaders, and other state and federal agencies.
- To interact with, foster, and organize support for the statewide research, extension and teaching programs of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at UK and the horticulture teaching programs at the regional universities.
The initial members of the Kentucky Horticulture Council were composed of an elected or appointed representative plus the current president from each horticultural commodity organization in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Kentucky Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). At that time, Kentucky horticulture commodity organizations included: the Central Kentucky Turf and Ornamental Association, the Kentucky Arborists’ Association, the Kentucky Florists Association, the Kentuckiana Greenhouse Association, the Kentucky Nursery and Landscape Association, the Kentucky Nut Growers’ Association, the Kentucky State Horticulture Society, the Kentucky Turfgrass Council, the Kentucky Vegetable Growers’ Association, the Kentucky Vineyard Society, the Louisville Nursery Association and the Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc. Also, the Chair of the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s Horticulture Advisory Committee shall be an initial non-voting member of the Council.
The newly formed KHC immediately initiated an assessment and planning effort that resulted in the “Prospectus for Kentucky Horticulture in 1992”. The prospectus identified areas of opportunity and defined goals and actions required to reach those goals. The prospectus was updated periodically and presented to anyone who would listen, including legislators, university administration, state agencies, Kentucky Farm Bureau, and other groups. That planning document was reformatted and became part of the statewide agriculture planning effort named AG2000.
The KHC was more than ready to present the plan “Horticultural Opportunities: A Prospectus for Kentucky’s Horticultural Industries” when the Master Tobacco Settlement was reached and the Kentucky Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) was created to support the diversification of Kentucky agriculture. The first KHC proposal was submitted to Kentucky Agriculture Development Board (KADB) in January 2001 and was subsequently funded by the ADF in late 2001 to be effective January 1, 2002. Legal counsel helped the KHC expand the Bylaws and gain 501(c)-5 tax status in 2002.
Additional proposals have been subsequently funded by the KADF, with the current grant supporting programs for Kentucky horticulture through 2024. As historic member organizations in the industry have dissolved and new ones become established, representation on the Council has evolved. For example, the Kentucky Christmas Tree Association is the most recently added organization.
The KHC has been fortunate to have great leadership during its existence. Presidents have included Clif Jaggie, Mark Haney, Will Southerland, Ottie Pantle, Charlie Wilson, John Bell, and Todd Ryan. The Kentucky Horticulture Council continues to be a forum for any member organization representing a segment of Kentucky horticulture.