Former Kentucky Farm Service Agency Director Brian Lacefield has been named by Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles as the new director of the Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy.
The Kentucky Office of Agriculture Policy is the new name for the former Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy. Senate Bill 3 shifted responsibilities from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund from the governor’s office to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
Quarles says Lacefield, of Versailles, is well-respected in Kentucky’s agricultural community and has years of agribusiness and investment experience that makes him the perfect fit to lead the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy. He adds Lacefield will be a strong asset for the KDA as they implement Senate Bill 3 and move the management from the Governor’s Office to the Department of Agriculture. Quarles says he is grateful for Lacefield’s willingness to serve.
Lacefield said he is honored to be named to this position by Commissioner Quarles and he looks forward to working with board members to uphold the great tradition of innovation and excellence at the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund. He adds there is tremendous opportunity to strengthen and diversify our agricultural economy and he’s excited to hit the ground running.
Lacefield most recently served as the Kentucky State Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Prior to joining the Trump administration, Lacefield served various roles in the ag industry, most recently as market president at Trigg County FNB. He has also worked as chief financial officer of Agri-Chem and general manager for the Commonwealth Agri-Finance, both divisions of Hopkinsville Elevator Cooperative. In addition, he has served as vice president of agriculture and commercial banking with Planters Bank and as an area extension specialist with the University of Kentucky Farm Business Management Program.
Lacefield has served on several state ag-related boards as well as non-profits and charitable organizations in his communities including Cadiz Rotary, the United Way of the Pennyrile and the Hopkinsville Farmers Market.
