The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture recently changed the name and format of its monthly television show to “Growing Kentucky.” The program is aired on KET the third Saturday of each month at 3:30 p.m. and on many cable outlets throughout the state.

"The new title and other changes in our monthly TV program reflect what's always been true about our college, namely that we continue to evolve and advance and usher in positive change in order to reach more Kentuckians through our research and teaching and extension outreach efforts," said Scott Smith, dean of the College of Agriculture. "The word 'growing' in our new title also reflects our college's mission -- 'growing' in an agriculture sense of course, but also in the sense of growing innovations, growing solutions, and growing the quality of life for people in our state."

Haven Miller, director of the UK College of Agriculture’s agricultural communications services unit, said the monthly program also will include a feature highlighting research of the College of Agriculture and Agricultural Experiment Station. He believes the expansion of programming affords the college an opportunity to reach all Kentuckians.

"With ‘Growing Kentucky’ we're targeting all ages, rural and urban, with very positive messages from all areas of our college," Miller said. "Over the years we've been able to reach increasingly larger numbers of viewers in the state with this monthly program, and by broadening its scope and introducing a wider range of topics I foresee the growth in audience continuing."

The college has been reaching Kentuckians via television programming since 2002. The first monthly show was called “Extension Today: On the Air,” originally hosted by Miller and Jeff Franklin. The past few years, Franklin hosted with Carl Nathe, of UK’s public relations department. Franklin and Nathe continue as hosts of “Growing Kentucky.” They also welcome Marianne Smith Edge, who will host a new segment called “It’s About You,” focusing on family-life issues with an emphasis on nutrition and health, as well as regular contributor Rachel Steward, who will bring news from Kentucky State University’s Land Grant Program.

The program is recorded each month in cooperation with KSU at its television production studio in Frankfort.

“Growing Kentucky is available online at http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/video/growingkentucky.