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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Another record was set at the annual Country Ham Breakfast and Auction at the Kentucky State Fair, as the winning bid for this year's Grand Champion Ham fetched $5 million. 

This is the 58th year for the event sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau. For the second time in two years, Central Bank joined Kentucky business owners and philanthropists Joe and Kelly Craft to each contribute $2.5 million, topping last year's bid of $4.8 million. 

Every year, the winning bidder donates the money to one or more charities. Last year, Kelly Craft said she planned to donate the money to economic development projects in west Louisville.

The Grand Champion Ham was produced by Broadbent B & B Foods in Kuttawa, Kentucky. 

Since the event began in 1964, the Kentucky Farm Bureau has raised more than $14 million for charities across the state. The ham purchased at the first auction sold for $8 per pound, for a total of $124. 

Several local and state leaders attended Thursday's event, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, and U.S. Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul. Also in attendance were Miss Kentucky, along with University of Louisville Interim President Dr. Lori Gonzalez. 

Gov. Beshear was the first to speak at the event, touting Kentucky's resilience after tornado and flooding disasters.

"I'm grateful the general assembly is here in special session," Beshear said as he addressed the crowd. "Everybody's on the same page. I want to thank leadership and membership alike for making sure this isn't bipartisan -- it's non-partisan -- helping our people.

After Beshear spoke to the crowd, McConnell took the stage, taking shots at the Democratic administration and tying it to rising inflation. He also called on FEMA to step up its game to help struggling people in eastern Kentucky.

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) spoke, saying Beshear never should have shut down the state's economy. He also complained about COVID protocols that he didn't think worked.

"Masks -- the virus can go around the masks actually too," Paul said. "In Jefferson County they're putting our kids back in masks again. Who are these imbeciles?"

For the 12th year in the row, members of the Fairness Campaign, ACLU and JCTA attended the event  to protest against Kentucky Farm Bureau. The protesters say the company has discriminatory policies that are anti-LGBTQ and anti-teacher.

Kentucky Farm Bureau made a point to recognize and celebrate the state's farmers and their families whose products are showcased at the breakfast.

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