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An area farmer was on Capitol Hill last week to offer his perspective on challenges and opportunities in agriculture.

Hinton’s Orchard and Farm Market co-owner and co-founder Jeremy Hinton testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Wednesday as part of their hearing “Perspectives From the Field: Farmer and Rancher Views on the Agricultural Economy.”

Hinton, an eighth-generation farmer and president of the LaRue County Farm Bureau Federation, said as the committee drafts the next Farm Bill he would like to see more support for specialty crop growers.

“While most traditional row crop acres are covered under the Federal Crop Insurance program, participation for specialty crop growers is often more complicated,” Hinton said “Because of sporadic geographic distribution limits and policy availability, agents and growers must often work to ensure specialty crops under RMA-approved written agreements.”

Hinton also noted the need for support of extension programs from land grant universities.

“Extension recommendations for disease and pest control and fertility in our crops is invaluable to our success,” Hinton said. “Your support is vital to research and direct technical assistance delivered by our colleges of agriculture.”

Hinton said according to the Census of Agriculture, Kentucky lost more than 546,000 acres of farmland from 2017 to 2022. He noted the creation of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Kentucky Farmland Transition Initiative as a measure against the loss of family-owned farmlands.

“I urge your involvement in developing solutions to this important issue,” Hinton said. “While on one hand, new neighbors mean new customers for retail markets like ours, we must find a balance between well-planned development and farmland preservation to ensure the future of our farms and our rural communities.”

Kentucky has representation on the Senate Agriculture Committee through Senator Mitch McConnell.

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College is helping dual credit students get ready for the summer and fall.

The college is hosting ECTC Connect events at 18 area high schools to help make the transition to dual credit classes and college easier. ECTC says Connect “will allow students to meet with academic advisors and student support staff one-on-one to get answers to any questions and enroll in summer and fall 2025 classes.”

Students and families can find their school’s ECTC Connect date and more information at ectc.us/connect. Students should talk to their school guidance counselor to reserve a spot.

Crystal Rogers investigation suspect Steven Lawson was back in Nelson Circuit Court for a status hearing Thursday.

While no motions were before the court, Lawson’s defense previously requested the hearing be scheduled in order to keep “on a routine track in advance of the currently scheduled trial date.” The defense requested another status hearing for 30 days out, but when Special Prosecutor Shane Young asked for a date in late April due to a busy trial schedule the two sides settled on a hearing date of April 3.

Lawson’s defense said they are still working through the discovery in the case, which Young said outside of possibly a few phone calls has been completed. The defense says Lawson had also not seen any of the discovery until August when the new attorneys were appointed to represent him. Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms III said he would make any requested accommodations to allow Lawson access to the courthouse in order to review the discovery as needed.

Simms also said he would keep the case files for the case in Nelson County until shortly before the trial begins in Warren County. Lawson’s trial is scheduled to begin on May 27.