Homophobic, transphobic practices of KY Farm Bureau to be protested tomorrow morning

A coalition of Kentucky advocacy groups and unions will protest the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s discriminatory policies at their annual Country Ham Breakfast at the Kentucky State Fair Thursday morning.

The groups are currently running radio ads on 97.5 WAMZ and 98.5 KISS-FM targeting the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s policies that are anti-LGBTQ, anti-Teacher, anti-Union, anti-Choice, anti-POC, pro-Death Penalty, and more. Kentucky Farm Bureau insurance customers currently pay fees that support the controversial policies, but customers do not receive a copy of them and are largely unaware the policies exist.

The protest will also be joined by Freda Fairness, a puppet mascot created in collaboration with Squallis Puppeteers to counter the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s State Fair mascot Freddie Farm Bureau.

WHAT: Protest of KY Farm Bureau’s Discriminatory Policies

WHEN: Thursday, August 26 at 7:00 a.m. ET

WHERE: Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center South Wing-B937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, KY 40209

WHO: ACLU of Kentucky
Fairness Campaign
Jefferson County Teachers Association
Kentucky Health Justice Network
Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice
Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates – Kentucky
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 227

Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation 2020 Policies & Page Numbers:
(Download at Fairness.org/KFB)

• The institution of marriage should only be recognized as the legal union of a man and a woman. (p.9)
• We are opposed to any state-supported agency providing benefits to “domestic” partners. (p.10)
• We strongly believe in the value of all individuals both born and unborn. (p.10)
• We support the current law that prevents teacher strikes. We oppose legislation that mandates collective bargaining for public school employees. (p.60)
• We oppose schools declaring themselves gender neutral. (p.61)
• Alternative lifestyles should not be taught in public schools. (p.61)
• We oppose an increase in the minimum hourly wage. (p.75)
• We recommend the federal prevailing wage law be repealed when dealing with government contracts. (p.75)
• We strongly oppose any mandate that would require any government entities to recognize and collectively bargain with employee unions. (p.75)
• Furthermore, we oppose public employees being permitted to strike, organize work stoppages or slow-downs. (p.75)
• We support the idea that those who receive Supplemental Security Income, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or other government welfare payments should have to submit to random drug testing. (p.76)
• Persons on strike should not be eligible for SNAP benefits, surplus commodities or unemployment compensation. (p. 76)
• We support capital punishment. (p.88)
• We oppose any government mandate that forces school districts to provide transgender bathrooms. (p.90)