The sign-up period in Clark County for an agriculture based cost-share program known as CAIP (County Agricultural Investment Program) began last week.

CAIP was originally known as “Phase 1” funds and began shortly after the tobacco “buy out” in the early 2000s.

In Kentucky, it was decided those funds would be utilized to assist farmers in the form of cost-share programs to diversify their farming operations.

Since that time, miles of fence and waterline have been run, hundreds of farm structures have been built, and cattle genetics have been improved, all through this program and its cost-share funds.

Over the years, the program has changed to include some more diversified investment areas and improve upon some existing ones. These investment areas include agriculture diversification, large animal, small animal, farm infrastructure, fencing and on-farm water, forage and grain improvement, innovative agriculture systems, on-farm energy, poultry and other fowl, technology and leadership investment, and value-added marketing.

More specifics about each investment areas can be found online at https://agpolicy.ky.gov/funds/Pages/program-portal.aspx or by calling the Clark County Soil Conservation Office at 859-744-2322.

Applications for the Clark County CAIP program will be available at the Clark County Soil Conservation Office until Tuesday, July 24. The conservation office is at 667 Tech Drive and office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information on this program, call Angie Embry at the Clark County Soil Conservation Office at 859-744-232 or call the Clark County Extension Office at 859-744-4682.

Clay Stamm is one of the Clark County Cooperative Extension Service Agents for Agriculture and Natural Resources.