By Blake Jackson
In the early 1980s, Kentucky farmers faced major challenges, from high interest rates and reduced export demand to political and economic pressures on tobacco, the state’s traditional crop. Randall Barnett, associate dean at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, recognized a pressing need for strong leadership in agriculture.
"Agriculture in Kentucky is facing tremendous challenges and we are going to have a great turnover in our leadership. Then the thought came to me that these new leaders are going to be facing challenges like they never have before and what do we have going to prepare them for this, and the answer was nothing,” Barnett said.
Barnett worked with Dean Charles Barnhart to create the Philip Morris Agricultural Leadership Development Program, now known as the Kentucky Agricultural Leadership Program (KALP).
Barnett directed the first four classes before retiring in 1995, followed by Larry Jones, agriculture economics professor emeritus, from 1996-2009.
“Every generation was being removed from the farm, and there was less knowledge and interest in agriculture,” Barnett said. “One of the things I observed at that time was, a lot of those leaders serving in key agriculture roles across the state were aging out.”
Philip Morris USA provided essential early funding, supporting the program’s development. “At that time, there were a lot of programs that we helped sponsor at universities, but we saw a real need for agriculture leaders,” said Larry Sykes, director of agricultural programs for Philip Morris USA.
“Primarily because, even back then and more so today, the farm population is shrinking, so you don't have as many people to represent you.”
Today, KALP is co-directed by Steve Isaacs and Will Snell, with Emily Roe Brown as program coordinator. “It is our goal to ensure the next 40 plus years of this program,” Roe Brown said.
Graduates, including Class 1 alum Rod Kuegel, credit KALP with shaping their careers. “The networking we developed was invaluable,” Kuegel said.
KALP continues its legacy with Class 15 set to begin in early 2026. To learn more, visit https://kalp.mgcafe.uky.edu.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-alexeyrumyantsev
Categories: Kentucky, Business, Education