Record $10.5M bid at Kentucky Ham auction by Crafts

By Blake Jackson

The 60th annual Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) Country Ham Breakfast and Charity Auction at the Kentucky State Fair made history with a record-setting winning bid of $10.5 million by Kelly and Joe Craft.

The live auction, a highlight of the event, saw bids from prominent figures and community leaders for the Kentucky State Fair’s Grand Champion Country Ham.

This 18.2-pound ham, produced by Broadbent B&B in Kuttawa, Kentucky, attracted the highest single bid ever in the event’s history. Previously, Crafts and Central Bank had combined their bids, reaching $10 million in 2023.

Kelly Craft, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, expressed her gratitude: “My husband and I are honored to have won the charity auction for the Kentucky State Fair Grand Champion Ham at the 60th annual Country Ham Breakfast. We believe that helping others is a fundamental value, and we are fortunate to be able to pledge a large amount of our resources to philanthropic causes each year.

This auction is a wonderful vehicle to do that. As lifelong Kentuckians, we both know what an outstanding, supportive partner Kentucky Farm Bureau is to businesses, farms, and residents across the commonwealth all year long, but this annual event underscores their commitment to strengthening communities through collaboration.”

The Crafts plan to donate the $10.5 million to various charities and projects, including Boys and Girls Clubs throughout Kentucky and rebuilding efforts for families affected by the 2022 floods in Eastern Kentucky.

KFB President Eddie Melton remarked, “The Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast and Charity Auction is a special tradition in our Commonwealth. I have been attending this event for years, and I am always proud to see so many people from both rural and urban communities come together to celebrate agriculture and give back to those in need.”

Miss Kentucky 2024, Chapel Tinius, presented the Grand Champion Ham. The event, attended by over 1,600 guests, featured a Kentucky Proud breakfast and speeches by KFB President Eddie Melton, U.S. Sen.

Mitch McConnell, and Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell. Since its inception in 1964, the Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast has raised over $44 million for charities and nonprofits.

Photo Credit: kentucky-farm-bureau