Hoosier Ag Today’s C.J. Miller moderated a panel discussion about the top issues facing Indiana agriculture at the 2024 “Taste of Shelby County Agriculture”, which you can watch by clicking above. The event was presented by Shelby County Ag Promotion and held at Horseshoe Racing and Casino in Shelbyville on March 6.
On the “Indiana Agriculture All-Star” Panel:
- Don Lamb, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA)
- Bruce Kettler, President & CEO of the Agribusiness Council of Indiana
- Courtney Kingery, CEO of Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Corn Growers Association
- Kendell Culp, Vice President of Indiana Farm Bureau and State Representative (District 16)
- Michael Langemeier, Purdue University Professor of Agricultural Economics and Associate Director of the Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture
Among the topics discussed impacting Indiana farmers and ag businesses included:
- The decline of commodity prices over the past year
- Farmland values
- Farm labor and current H-2A regulations
- The Farm Bill (or lack thereof from Congress)
- The role of the Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council checkoff organizations.
- The growth of ethanol and the push for sustainable aviation fuel
- Attracting additional ag businesses to the local community
- Advice for young men and women in FFA who are seeking careers in agriculture
In addition, Rep. Kendell Culp discusses House Bill 1183, which he wrote and introduced this year during the Indiana General Assembly. His bill would prevent adversarial countries, such as China and Russia, from owning or leasing farmland in Indiana.
Also, Don Lamb shares the details and takeaways from his recent trip to Havana, Cuba as part of a trade mission with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
The event was a fundraiser for Shelby County Ag Promotion to fund scholarships for ag students, as well as to help fund and support the Indiana FFA chapters throughout Shelby County.
Click HERE for the Shelby County Ag Promotion Facebook page.
