In statement, Mitch McConnell touts $26.7 million in federal money for University of Kentucky agriculture research

Jesse Fraga, Lexington Herald-Leader on Aug 26, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Sen. Mitch McConnell on Wednesday commended the federal government for giving $26.7 million to help the University of Kentucky complete its agricultural research center, making a statement focused on government business rather than his health, which has been a focal point in recent months.

While recovering from a fall since June, McConnell has made very few comments to the public, and his other recent statements have been focused on how he’s doing as he continues to recuperate. In his Wednesday statement, McConnell said he advocated for the funds, which will go toward the construction of UK’s Agricultural Research Service Forage-Animal Production Unit, which is expected to study farming, livestock and rural communities.

“I’m honored to have helped secure funding for the establishment and construction of this project over the years, and it’s great to see this final piece go into place for Kentucky’s leading agricultural research lab,” he said. “There is no doubt this funding will help the University of Kentucky continue to solidify itself as the center for agricultural research in the Commonwealth, and I’m grateful for its work in this field.”

UK President Eli Capilouto thanked McConnell for “helping make this project a reality,” the news release said.

McConnell said he also helped secure $65.9 million in 2020 and $10 million this year in federal funds for UK’s agricultural lab.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in May 2023 and the building was expected to be complete this year, the university and U.S. Department of Agriculture previously said.

But construction hasn’t started because of some kind of federal delays, according to Kristi Willett, a UK spokesperson.

“We thought it would start, but it didn’t,” Willett told the Herald-Leader. “... There became delays, and so it just never got started between COVID and other things.

“... Since being announced, we haven’t heard any more information, and so now they’re having to provide more funding, I guess, because the cost has gone up in the years since it was proposed.”

The new allocation was “the additional funding that’s needed to finish it,” Willett said.

It will be built over the Kroger Field Orange Lot, which was the originally planned location, according to Willet. The lot has over 500 parking spaces on University and Alumni drives.

The university does not have a start date for its construction, according to Willett.

“The new FAPRU building will encompass approximately 52,600 total square feet of office, supporting a research laboratory space, as well as a collaborative area, headhouse and eight-bay greenhouses,” a USDA news release said in 2023. “It will be staffed by six ARS scientists and seven university researchers, along with laboratory technicians and administrative personnel.”

Where the funds came from

The money was directed to UK after the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, began “decommissioning” its services to other areas of the country. The Beltsville facility had received $75.7 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and was one of the largest and oldest agriculture research centers in the world, but the money was distributed elsewhere once services were offloaded.

That included the $26.7 million for UK, according to a letter from the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden.

Besides UK, the reallocation gave $37 million for the construction of a new National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture in Lincoln, New Hampshire, and $12 million for a new National Plant Gennplasm System Centralized Distribution Center in Ames, Iowa.

“Our shared belief in improving the lives of Kentucky farmers and enhancing our agriculture industry through research has made for a productive working relationship that has delivered results for Kentuckians,” McConnell said in a statement.

McConnell’s health

McConnell suffered a fall in June and was hospitalized, his office previously confirmed. After weeks of uncertainty about his condition, his office said that in addition to falling, he dealt with pneumonia. After being released from the hospital, he went to a rehabilitation center.

His office said in a statement earlier this month that he had been released from the rehab center and was continuing his care at home. He has provided no details on when he might return to the Senate. The 84-year-old’s seat is up for election this year and he is not running, meaning his long career in Congress will end in January.

_____