An expensive fuel lab run by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is being shut down to save the state money. The lab was meant to test the quality of fuel from pumps across the state. It was the brainchild of former Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer, who promised other states would eventually sign contracts with the lab and generate significant revenue.Those contracts never materialized—and so far and the lab has been a money guzzler.Because of that, current Agriculture Commissioner James Comer is shuttering the facility and outsourcing fuel testing to a private company. Comer expects to save money with the change—he's hoping for $600,000 per year.Comer says the change won't affect his office's responsibility of testing fuel and maintaining fuel pumps throughout the Commonwealth.
