Kelly Craft told Kentucky Lantern that the latest ham would be sliced thinly and served on biscuits. At least the winning lot will not spend its retirement behind glass.
Where will the charitable money go?
The Crafts said their $5 million share would support the new Guilfoil Recreation Center at the Boys & Girls Club of Glasgow-Barren County, as well as FFA chapters in Barren and Glasgow counties.
Central Bank said its contribution would benefit several educational, medical and nonprofit organizations, including:
- University of Kentucky Athletics
- Markey Cancer Center
- Revolving Affordable Housing Fund
- Child Advocacy Center
This was the fifth year the Crafts and Central Bank combined their bids at the event. They also announced a joint $10 million bid in 2025.
“As lifelong Kentuckians, Joe and I are proud to once again stand alongside Central Bank to lift up important causes across our commonwealth,” Kelly Craft said.
Kentucky Farm Bureau says the auction began in 1964 and has directed more than $64 million to nonprofits across the state. Eligible hams must weigh between 14 and 22 pounds, be cured in Kentucky and meet the competition’s aging requirements.
Does the auction actually raise $10 million?
Central Bank’s explanation complicates the headline figure. According to reporting by Kentucky Public Radio and Kentucky Lantern, the announced bids count philanthropic commitments already made during the year. In other words, the auction serves as a public showcase for those donations, not necessarily the moment when an additional $10 million enters the charitable system.
Kentucky Farm Bureau did not immediately respond to Kentucky Public Radio’s request for clarification about how the total is calculated.
The distinction matters because the event is routinely presented as a sale in which a ham generates millions for charity. The money still supports named organizations, but the transaction functions more like a ceremonial accounting of philanthropy, accompanied by breakfast and a very photogenic cured meat.
Kentucky Farm Bureau President Eddie Melton focused on the event’s community role, saying it celebrates agriculture while allowing people from across Kentucky to support local causes. He also warned that farmers continue to face high production costs and volatile markets.
Why was politics also on the breakfast menu?
The annual gathering doubles as one of Kentucky’s major political stages. This year’s breakfast arrived ahead of the 2026 midterm elections and an emerging 2027 governor’s race.
U.S. Representative James Comer attended, along with prospective Democratic candidates Jacqueline Coleman and Rocky Adkins. Kelly Craft told Kentucky Lantern that she planned to work “really, really hard to elect Jamie Comer governor.”
Comer also used the event to criticize proposals allowing lower-tariff beef imports, arguing that the United States should produce its own food supply. The comments tied national trade policy to the agricultural concerns Melton raised, while also giving a charity breakfast the unmistakable shape of an early campaign stop.
The result was part livestock celebration, part philanthropic presentation and part political gathering. The ham remained the official centerpiece, which was probably simpler for everyone involved.
