In the last week, Fancy Farm officials and multiple media outlets have confirmed that Lyon County native David Beck has been selected emcee of the 143rd Fancy Farm Picnic.
The president/CEO of Kentucky Venues and retired leader from Kentucky Farm Bureau will serve as a neutral media personality, for what should be a spicy event rolling into the 2023 general election for the Commonwealth.
Fancy Farm’s Political Chair Steven Elder notes Beck brings “a great style,” one able to bring collaboration between Republicans and Democrats. It’s something he’s already demonstrated through the Kentucky Farm Machinery Show and the Kentucky State Fair, and Elder notes his committee pleased to have a western Kentucky native priming the crowd.
Beck is a Murray State University graduate who spent more than four decades with KFB, bringing along with him his agricultural roots harnessed from home while serving as a strong and reliable advocate for farmers and rural Kentucky interests.
In 2021, Beck received the “Distinguished Rural Kentuckian” nod from the 75th Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. It’s the highest honor bestowed by the organization, one comprised of 26 co-ops across the state.
A Distinguished Alumnus of MSU, he played a pivotal role in the 2000 passage for the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, which propelled the development of the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board and Fund.
The last neutral host for Fancy Farm came in 2019, when Bill Goodman, executive director of the Kentucky Humanities Council and former KET public affairs voice, served the role. The honor rotates between political parties each year before bringing in an outside face.
The country’s largest political stumping spree brings with it barbecue, bingo and bull, and all in the support of St. Jerome Catholic Church.
