The Indiana Poultry Association has a tradition of commissioning a specially hand-painted egg for presentation to the Lt. Governor at Thanksgiving. In years past, the egg was painted to represent the state and the Indiana poultry industry, but this year they decided to make it personal. For the past 8 years, Indiana Lt. Governor Becky Skillman has been Indiana’s first Secretary of Agriculture. Under her watch, the Hoosier poultry industry has flourished. Poultry Association Director Paul Brennan says a lot of that was due to Becky Skillman, “The Indiana poultry industry is strong in no small part because of Becky Skillman and the policies of the Daniels’ administration. We have a good environment for growing food here in Indiana, not only because of climate and geography but because of the regulatory climate.” He told HAT the Indiana poultry industry is doing better than other states because of the support of agriculture from Skillman and the Daniels’ administration.
So when it came to commissioning this year’s special egg, the poultry industry decided to decorate the egg in honor of Skillman, “Lt. Governor Skillman has been so supportive of the agriculture industry and her being a good wholesome Indiana product , if we put symbols on the egg that represent her life, it would still be emblematic of Indiana agriculture.” Egg artist Mark Wearstler from Brookston, IN says painting the 4-H symbol and other images special to Skillman was not easy, “It is a curved surface that is not flat, so you have to learn to work with the symmetry of the egg.” The egg was presented to Skillman at the Statehouse and will remain on display in the Lt. Governor’s office, symbolizing that Becky Skillman is a good egg.
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