News Release

May 7, 2012

Contact:
Mary Geiger
Communications Director
Kansas Department of Agriculture
(785) 296-2653 phone
Mary.Geiger@kda.ks.gov

Gov. Brownback to make good on friendly wager with Kentucky Gov. Beshear, donates Kansas beef to shelters in Lawrence, Lexington

Lawrence — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback will make good this week on his friendly wager with Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear over the National College Athletics Association (NCAA) men’s championship basketball game by donating Kansas steak burgers to a shelter in Lexington, Ky.

Gov. Brownback promised to send Kansas beef to Kentucky if the University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team prevailed over the University of Kansas men’s basketball team in the 2012 NCAA championship game.  If Kansas won, Gov. Beshear agreed to send Kentucky country ham to Kansas. Both governors agreed the victor would share the winnings with a local shelter.  Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, Kentucky won the game, played in New Orleans, La. last month, 67-59.

“While we were cheering for a championship, we are still proud of the great season the Jayhawks had,” Gov. Brownback said.  “In recognition of Kentucky’s victory, we’re also proud to share one of our finest products, Kansas beef, with those in need in both Kentucky and Kansas. Beef is a significant driver of the Kansas economy and an important part of our state’s heritage.”

Gov. Beshear will welcome 440 Kansas steak burgers to the Hope Shelter on Tuesday, which serves the homeless and those with addiction and mental health issues in Lexington, Ky.

“We would like to thank Kansas and Governor Brownback for their sportsmanship and this gracious donation,” said Gov. Beshear. “Of course we also thank the UK team for thrilling us with their inspired play this season. Our Kentucky farmers also produce excellent beef, but today some of our citizens are enjoying this import and celebrating the Wildcats’ eighth national championship.”

Gov. Brownback will also hand-deliver an additional 120 Kansas steak burgers to the Lawrence Community Shelter (LCS).  LCS is an emergency shelter that helps Kansans in need by assisting with employment, counseling, locating a home, or entering a recovery program for substance abuse and/or mental illness treatment.

“Like Gov. Brownback, we were cheering for a different result of the basketball game, but as a second outcome everyone at the Lawrence Community Shelter is grateful to the Governor for this delicious and generous gift as a slam dunk of another sort,” LCS Executive Director Loring Henderson said.

“Gov. Beshear and I are very appreciative of the work done by organizations like the Hope Center and Lawrence Community Shelter.  They provide the bridge that families and individuals need to get their lives back on track,” Brownback said.

Governor Brownback also thanked the Kansas City Steak Company who helped provide the Kansas steak burgers and the Kansas Beef Council who helped arrange the donation. 

May is beef month in Kansas.  Home to 6.3 million cattle and more than 30,000 beef producers, Kansas generates roughly $6.5 billion each year from beef production. Through related work, the industry also employs thousands of Kansans who provide safe, nutritious and wholesome beef for consumers around the world.

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