Bill > HB356

This bill establishes the Kentucky Urban Youth Agriculture Initiative, a program administered by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service to promote agricultural education and engagement for youth in urban counties. The initiative will begin as a pilot program in one or more extension service offices starting September 1, 2025, with potential full implementation across the Commonwealth by September 1, 2026. The program aims to educate young people (ages 5-18) about farming, agriculture, and agribusiness in urban environments, offering age-appropriate experiential learning opportunities such as internships and apprenticeships. Each program term will last one year, beginning in January, and will be available to participants in urban counties with populations of 150,000 or more. Participation requires parental permission and a commitment to the full program duration. The initiative seeks to develop agricultural skills, encourage urban farming practices, and create informed agriculture consumers and advocates among youth in urban areas.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25RS/hb356.html