Shelbyville Senator Paul Hornback says Alltech Founder Pearse Lyons contributed to the agriculture industry by thinking outside the box. Hornback was reflecting on the impact of Lyons, who died Thursday after battling a lung condition following heart surgery.
Hornback, a lifelong farmer, says animal feed advances at Alltech led to an expansion of Kentucky’s livestock industry.
“If you measure what he has done, what Alltech has done for the animal feed industry in improving the quality of our animals by the feed that we feed them and the demand that that has expressed all over the U.S. for the animals coming from the Kentucky area,” said Hornback. “I think that’s how it is measured.”
Hornback says demand for Kentucky livestock has gone up greatly over the last 20 years.
While known initially for Alltech’s animal feed business, Jessamine County Senator Tom Buford says Lyons’ development of bourbon flavored malt beverages took off quickly. “It has that flavor to it because it’s aged in bourbon barrels. No one had ever thought of that. He just came up with these ideas,” noted Buford. “He was an innovator to say the least.”
Buford represents Nicholasville which is where Alltech, with operations in animal feed, meat, brewing, and distilling, is headquartered. Buford says Lyon’s commitment in sponsoring the World Equestrian Games was critical in bringing the international event to the Kentucky Horse Park in 2010.
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