Indiana Farm Bureau members and non-members are invited to attend one of the regional meetings this week designed to help farmers get a jumpstart on understanding the new farm bill. Two meetings are scheduled for Thursday, in Fulton County and at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, and one meeting will be at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds on Friday.
Kyle Cline, National Policy Advisor for Indiana Farm Bureau said they want to get information to farmers now that details are being released.
“The bill itself is almost a thousand pages so it’s quite complex. There are several new programs and election options that are available within the farm bill and the commodity program. Also there is a new crop insurance option, supplemental coverage option, so we wanted to get out there and provide that information early and at least get farmers familiar with these programs and get them to be thinking about this. Then we’ll also walk through some examples, farm case studies.”
Cline says the focus will primarily be on the commodity and livestock programs of the farm bill.
“April 15th is the tentative date for signups for the livestock indemnity program and the livestock forage disaster program, so that will be very much front and center for the discussion,” he told HAT. “The commodity programs, while the rules are still being written, we want to walk producers and others interested through those programs and what they might be able to expect.”
John Anderson, deputy chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, and Matt Erickson, economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, will be the guest speakers.
Cline adds “stay tuned” for additional dates sometime from summer to fall when IFB will continue its farm bill educational outreach.
This week’s meeting are:
North region – March 27, 9-11 a.m., Fulton County Fairgrounds Community Center, 1009 West 3rd St., Rochester, IN 46975
Central region – March 27, 2-4: p.m., The Glass Barn, Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St., Indianapolis, IN 46205
South region – March 28, 9-11 a.m., Lawrence County Fairgrounds Expo Hall, 11265 US Hwy. 50 West, Bedford, IN 47421
Learn more here in the HAT video: