OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE KENTUCKY FARM BUREAU FEDERATION VOL. 72, NO. 4 OCTOBER 2008 Coyle is retiring Looking In as KFB president Task force diagnosing at annual meeting health care system By Rachael Kamuf PAGE 3 KENTUCKY FARM BUREAU fter 32 years as a director of Southern ag Kentucky Farm Bureau – and Apresident since late 2005 – expo puts Marshall Coyle is stepping away from his KFB in spotlight leadership roles with the organization. Coyle said he made the decision to retire PAGE 6 when he realized that his Farm Bureau duties combined with the responsibilities of his Bath County farm had kept him away Hurricanes from his family. can blow “Being president is a full-time job; I cover a lot of miles every year,” he said. “I inland have four grandsons who I never see like I PAGE 5 See COYLE, page 4 Pioneers used Cumberland Photo courtesy of PGA of America Gap to reach early frontier NBC Sports closed its Ryder Cup coverage at Valhalla Golf Club in PAGE 10 Louisville with shots of J.B. Holmes’ joy after sinking a putt to give the U.S. one of the last points needed to beat the European team since 1999. Holmes - son of Maurice Holmes, agency manager of Taylor County Farm Bureau Insurance Agency - and Kenny Perry of Franklin combined with Couple brews success partners to give the Americans five points in the 16 ½- 11 ½ victory last month. (See Perry photo on Page 19) from tea and books PAGE 14 Voting is a privilege preserved by action PR veteran takes on over- By Marshall Coyle and David S. Beck gressional races and state Senate and sight of roadside markets KENTUCKY FARM BUREAU House elections. Just a cursory glance at the day’s news PAGE 15 n Tuesday, Nov. 4, all regis- should remind all Americans just how tered voters in the United high the stakes are and the difference we States will have the chance can make just by participating in our To till or not to Ocast ballots for the first new president unique democratic process. to till in eight years. To help inform voters on issues affecting Kentuckians also will have choices to our member families and all Kentuckians, PAGE 18 make in a U.S. Senate campaign, con- See VOTING, page 17 AUTO HOME LIFE BUSINESS A MEMBER SERVICE WWW• KYFB• COM They say when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. But what happens when life hands you a tree? Life is unpredictable, but your insurance agent shouldn’t be. That’s why Kentucky Farm Bureau has agents in every county in the state, so you can count on a quick response and great service when you need it. This commitment has helped us grow into the state’s largest property and casualty insurer. So if you need home, auto or business insurance give us a call or drop by. We’re there when you need us. October 2008 All Around Kentucky 3 Task force looking at Kentucky’s ‘broken’ health care system entucky Farm Bureau has a long We’ve learned there’s no simple solution. tradition of tackling complex Some key elements of what we have learned Kissues. As our mission statement are: KENTUCKY • Hospitals adjust their rates upward to explains, we identify problems, develop solutions and then take action. We do this offset losses from treating people without in a systematic fashion that involves the key grassroots insurance. Medicaid or Medicare patients players and impacts the grassroots. comprise up to 75 percent of the patients at And of course, the goal is to improve the MARshALL COYLE | PREsIDENT | KENTUCKY FARM BUREAU some Kentucky hospitals. quality of life for our members. • A shortage of health care professionals We’re currently utilizing this process to Emergency rooms are flooded with Health lamented the situation during a – especially nurses and pharmacists – is a deal with what may be the most difficult patients. There’s a great need for more recent meeting with a Kentucky Farm big concern. The Kentucky Medical challenge we’ve ever seen - bringing immediate care centers and clinics, particu- Bureau task force I appointed to explore Association estimates Kentucky is 2,300 reforms to our health care system. larly in rural areas. potential solutions. Perhaps the most pro- physicians below the national standard and In recent years, Kentucky Farm Bureau The exorbitant cost of malpractice insur- found statement came from Dr. Baretta faces a critical shortage in rural areas. members from Paducah to Pikeville have ance is prompting doctors to locate in sur- Casey, the award-winning director of the • The cost of malpractice insurance in told me the best thing we could do for them rounding states that have enacted tort Center for Excellence in Rural Health, who Kentucky is well above surrounding states, was to find a way to reduce the cost of reforms. said: “I don’t think the problem is the all of whom have adopted some form of tort health insurance. A staggering 750,000 Kentuckians, includ- health care . it’s the system.” reform. For specialists such as obstetri- But the health care problem goes much ing many children, are in the Medicaid pro- Our task force - ably chaired by John cians, the cost difference for annual liability further. gram. And an estimated 500,000 more resi- Hendricks, Kentucky Farm Bureau’s second coverage can be as high as $80,000. There There’s a shortage of family practitioners dents do not have health insurance. vice president - has obtained some valuable is ample evidence that the high cost of mal- in rural areas. There’s also a serious short- The list of problems goes on. It all adds up information and insights during its first two practice insurance has prompted a good age of specialists in rural areas that forces to this: Our health care system is broken. meetings. The complexity of health care number of doctors to go elsewhere. many to travel long distances to urban Officials from the Kentucky Medical issues was evident while our committee Moreover, about 60 percent of our medical areas for services as basic as childbirth or Association, Kentucky Hospital Association examined a myriad of problems and chal- school graduates leave the state to practice. specialized procedures. and the Center for Excellence in Rural lenges. See GRASSROOTS, page 5 Alaska Cruise 4 All Around Kentucky October 2008 forged since his election as director to rep- related topics. His leadership has been Agriculture Development Fund was estab- resent District 10 in 1976 made the deci- invaluable, Snell said, and not just because lished in 2001, Kentucky has earmarked Coyle sion difficult. “It didn’t come easy,” he said. of the insight and thoughtfulness he brings $265 million for projects. “Some of these people have been my to discussions. “It took really effective leadership by Continued from page 1 friends for 32 years. That’s a long time, but “When I think of Marshall, four words Kentucky Farm Bureau to pull it off,” Snell want. While I can, I should slow down and it’s time.” come to mind: Sincerity; honesty; respect; said. “Farmers in other states cannot take be with those boys.” A new director and president of the feder- and integrity. … He is someone I admire a advantage of that seed money and financing. Nonetheless, the personal ties he has ation board will be elected as called for in lot” Snell said. “While I can’t emphasize Marshall has good reason to be proud of the organiza- enough what a great leader he has been, that accomplishment.” tion’s bylaws even more important, he is a great person.” Coyle said hard work and dedication by when Kentucky Snell said Coyle pays attention to details, many individuals and national and state politi- Farm Bureau methodically assesses issues in relation to cal leaders were needed to bring about the holds its annual the economic and political situations of the buyout and terms of the master settlement meeting in time and listens carefully to what others agreement. “There were many, many people Louisville in have to say. who did not think we could do this. It took all December. “In a policy debate setting, Marshall of us pulling together to make it happen.” Elections for the wasn’t always the most vocal one but when Passage of the new federal farm bill this insurance com- he spoke, it represented volumes. … summer consumed Coyle and other agricul- pany will be held “Everyone listened very intently. … He has ture leaders for more than a year. “It was in March. a great knack for pulling everything togeth- very challenging,” he said. “And I’m not University of er and keeping everyone on track.” sure that in the current economic climate Kentucky econo- Coyle, who attended Morehead State we could do it or find the support for the Photo by Roger Nesbitt mist Will Snell University, did not grow up on a farm. His tobacco legislation Kentucky farmers need- Marshall Coyle has appeared behind may microphones in his has worked father was a game warden who farmed on ed. It was hard enough then.” 32 years as a Kentucky Farm Bureau leader. Coyle is not closely with the side. He liked tending crops and beef In the last year or so, Coyle has been seeking re-election as president or director of the organiza- Coyle on farm- cattle but had no interest in dairy cows after emphasizing animal safety and farmers’ role tion. helping out at his uncle’s farm in Ohio. “I in ensuring safe affordable food reaches the knew I wanted to farm, but I didn’t want to American consumer and worldwide markets.