The Agriculture Water Quality Authority was established by the Agriculture Water Quality Act (KRS 224.71-100 through 224.71-140) by the 1994 General Assembly. The members of the authority are appointed by the governor to represent the state’s agriculture and environmental community while developing and supporting a statewide agricultural water quality plan.
The statewide agriculture water quality plan is an effort to produce a practical, flexible, coordinated natural resources management system that protects the waters of the Commonwealth and complies with applicable government rules and regulations. It is based on pollution prevention through the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs). KRS 224.71 defines BMPs as the most effective, practical and economical means of reducing and preventing water pollution. BMPs establish minimum acceptable quality levels of planning, siting, designing, installing, operating and maintaining agriculture and silviculture facilities and operations.
The current, approved BMPs can all be viewed here.
Upcoming meeting dates are below. Unless otherwise specified, meetings will be held at 300 Sower Boulevard in Frankfort.
Feb. 2, 2023 at 9:30 a.m (This meeting will be hybrid: Zoom meeting ID 836 4605 1552, passcode AWQA)
May 4, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. at the Morgan County Tree Nursery
Aug, 24, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. at the Kentucky State Fair
Nov. 9, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.
Agriculture Water Quality Authority Members
| Member | Organization |
| Randy McCallon | Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts |
| Keith Rogers | Kentucky Department of Agriculture |
| Amanda Gumbert | UK College of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service |
| Larry Thomas | Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation |
| Paulette Akers | Kentucky Division of Conservation |
| Beth Williams | Kentucky Division of Forestry |
| Chuck Taylor | Kentucky Geological Survey |
| Fred Sipes | Member-at-large Agr. Operations |
| Chris Howard | Environmental Groups |
| Joseph Sisk | Member-at-large Agr. Operations |
| Greg Stone | National Resource Conservation Service (ex-officio) |
| Carey Johnson | Kentucky Division of Water (ex-officio) |
| Angela Billings | Kentucky Department of Health Services (ex-officio) |
| Megan Bailey-Komar | Member-at-large Agr. Operations |
| Dean Schamore | US Farm Service Agency |