National Ag Day is fast approaching—it’s Tuesday, March 18. That’s also the day that Indiana’s ag community is coming together to host an event at the Indiana Statehouse.
“The Farm to Capitol event is hosted by Indiana’s Family of Farmers, which is a collaborative organization of Indiana’s agriculture groups,” says Jeffrey Deutschman, Program Manager with the Indiana State Poultry Association.
The Farm to Capitol event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bicentennial Plaza—between the Indiana Statehouse and the State Government Centers in downtown Indianapolis. The event includes livestock and farm equipment on display—as well as freshly popped Indiana popcorn for state legislators, state employees, and all guests who visit the event.
“There will also be booths and displays from all the ag groups—and food trucks, so basically you can come out get a bit of education, see what is going on in ag throughout the state, and stay for a bite to eat,” he says.
Becky Joniskan, President of the Indiana State Poultry Association, says the event also gives the ag community another opportunity to get in front of state lawmakers to show the importance of Indiana agriculture to the state’s economy.
“The statistic is that Indiana’s agricultural economy is equivalent to the size of our automobile manufacturing industry. So, [for state lawmakers] to really get a good understanding of who those people are and what their needs and concerns are [within the ag industry] is very important,” says Joniskan.
For example, Joniskan points to the state’s turkey industry—and says that Indiana ranks fourth in the U.S. for turkey production.
“The turkeys that are produced in Indiana are not typically the turkeys that end up in the middle of your Thanksgiving table,” according to Joniskan. “They are processed—so the white turkey breast meat goes to premium deli meats and we’ve got manufacturing for that right here in the state of Indiana, so when you’re eating turkey deli meat, you are likely eating a product that never left the state borders.”
In addition, Indiana also ranks first in the U.S. for duck production and third for egg production. According to USDA, Indiana’s poultry industry directly employs more than 12,700 Hoosiers and contributes more than $18.3 billion in total economic activity to the state.
The Indiana State Poultry Association is just one of many ag groups you’ll find at the Farm to Capitol event on Tuesday.
CLICK HERE for more information about the Farm to Capitol Event!
For more information about the Indiana Turkey Marketing Council, visit IndianaTurkey.com.
For more information about the Indiana State Poultry Association, visit INPoultry.com.
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