The Daviess County Farm Bureau celebrated more than a century of agricultural advocacy and local leadership Thursday morning as it co-sponsored November’s Rooster Booster breakfast alongside the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service.
The event featured remarks from Daviess County Farm Bureau President Brandon Gilles and a keynote address by Dr. Laura Stephenson, dean of the University of Kentucky’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment and vice president for land-grant engagement.
Gilles opened the breakfast by calling the gathering “fueled by strong coffee and even stronger community spirit,” crediting Owensboro’s farmers, business owners, and civic leaders for keeping the region’s agricultural economy vibrant.
“As we break biscuits together, let’s take a moment to celebrate our agricultural roots and the organization that has championed them for over a century,” Gilles said. “It’s proof that Kentucky’s farmers roll up their sleeves — we don’t just endure, we lead.”
Gilles, a fifth-generation Daviess County farmer, reflected on KY Farm Bureau’s founding in 1919 and its growth into the nation’s largest state Farm Bureau organization, representing more than 500,000 member families. He explained the dual structure of the organization — its nonprofit advocacy federation and its insurance company — describing them as “two siblings” that work hand-in-hand to protect rural families and communities.
He also touched on the current state of agriculture in Daviess County, noting that the county is home to more than 900 farms covering roughly 238,000 acres and generating about $186 million in market value annually.
“While corn and soybeans dot our landscape, we also have producers raising livestock, poultry, and produce,” Gilles said. “From drone-monitored fields to sustainable grazing, autonomous equipment to artificial intelligence, Kentucky farmers are proving agriculture isn’t fading — it’s evolving.”
He also addressed the pressures facing farmers, including development encroachment and the loss of farmland nationwide, but said local producers continue to show resilience through innovation and collaboration.
Gilles closed by recognizing outgoing Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Candance Castlen Brake for her partnership and advocacy for agriculture during her tenure.
“Your tenure has been a master class in bridge building,” Gilles said. “From ag roundtables to farm-to-table initiatives, you’ve woven agriculture into our community’s fabric.”
Daviess County Farm Bureau recently earned two statewide honors from Kentucky Farm Bureau, receiving regional recognition in both the 2025 Health & Safety Awards and the County Activities of Excellence Program. The organization was also honored for its Family & Farm Agriculture Day, a community event that featured hands-on safety demonstrations, health screenings, and agricultural education exhibits.
By: John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times