Ag Education Toolkits Page 8 County Fair Calendar Page 3
Inside: News in Brief................ 2 Around Indiana............ 3 Communication............ 6 State & Nation.............. 7 Around INFR................ 8
A Publication for Voting Members of Indiana Farm Bureau
May 26, 2015 Issue No. 67
Much of the credit for this year’s legislative successes goes to our volunteers —By Don Villwock President Indiana Farm Bureau The 2015 session of the Indiana General Assembly ended April 29, and Indiana Farm Bureau scored some very crucial and important wins, successes that will have a lasting positive impact on Hoosier farmers and rural residents. You can read more about them in the center spread of this issue. But what I want to focus on here are the people who made these victories and successes possible. To the many volunteers who took the time to communicate with their legislators through visits to the Statehouse, third house meetings, phone calls or other means, I want to say that we could not have
done it without you. Farm Bureau delegations were at the Statehouse almost every day when it counted, and legislators noticed. Four hundred and sixty-one members visited the Statehouse, and this compares to 372 in 2014. In all, 82 counties visited at least once, and 36 counties visited two or more times. That is an enormous achievement. And it made a difference – a big difference. It’s partly because of these visits that Farm Bureau continues to have clout at the Statehouse despite the fact that farmers are an increasingly small segment of the population. Another factor in our success is the legislators who stood up for farmers and Farm Bureau, sometimes despite considerable pressure
to change their positions. We had quite a few legislators in our corner this year, but special thanks need to go to Sen. Brandt Hershman of Buck Creek; Rep. Tim Brown, Crawfordsville; Sen. Luke Kenley, Noblesville; Sen. Susan Glick, LaGrange; Sen. Jean Leising, Oldenburg; Rep. Don Lehe, Brookston; Sen. Phil Boots, Crawfordsville; Sen. Ed Charbonneau, Valparaiso; and Rep. Eric Koch, Bedford. I’d also like to extend special thanks and congratulations to Indiana Farm Bureau’s lobbying staff, particularly Katrina Hall, Justin Schneider and Amy Cornell, all of whom had to work literally until the final moments of the session. Thanks also to Bob White and the regional managers for increasing our Statehouse visi-
For an in-depth look at this year’s legislative session, see the special report found on the center spread of this issue. tation program, legislative contacts and relationship building, all of which were essential to our success. But it is our members, the people who took time out of
their busy lives to work the Statehouse halls, that have earned my special gratitude. We really and truly couldn’t have done it without you. Congratulations to you all.
Voters pass most of the May school referendums —By Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team
Sen. Amanda Banks, R-Columbia City, meets with a delegation from Whitley County early in the legislative session. From left are Ned Yingst, Beverly Yingst, Brian Johnson and Whitley County Farm Bureau President Dane Drew. A total of 461 volunteers visited the Statehouse during the session. Photo by Rachel Schrage
Indiana Farm Bureau P.O. Box 1290 Indianapolis, IN 46206
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage
PAID
Berne, IN Permit NO. 43
While most of the 17 school referendums on the ballot in May passed, there were some notable exceptions to this general pattern. Brownsburg Community School Corp. in Hendricks County had both construction and school operating referendums on the ballot, and both failed. The district had sought $95 million for school construction and renovations as well as a school tax levy of 4.78 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Three other districts failed in their referendum efforts: New Albany-Floyd
County School Corp., which had asked for $79.95 million for new school construction as well as renovations and improvements to existing schools; Gary Community Schools, Lake County, which had asked for a tax levy of 41 cents per $100 of assessed valuation; and Pike County School Corp., which had asked for a tax levy of 29 cents per $100 of assessed value. The school construction referendums that passed were: • Community Schools of Frankfort, Clinton County. • Perry Township Schools, Marion County. • Beech Grove City Schools, Marion County. • Valparaiso Community Schools, Porter County. • Warsaw Community
Schools, Kosciusko County. The school operating referendums that passed were: • Hanover Community School Corporation, Lake County. • Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township, Marion County. • Perry Township Schools, Marion County. • Rising Sun-Ohio County Community School Corporation, Ohio County. • River Forest Community School Corporation, Lake County. • Beech Grove City Schools, Marion County. • Valparaiso Community Schools, Porter County.
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news in brief
News in Brief —Compiled by Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team
Purdue chapter elects officers—Purdue
University Collegiate Farm Bureau has elected its 201516 slate of officers. Elected were: Cameron Mann, Putnam County, president; Sam Ebenkamp, Dubois County, vice-president; Marshall Perkins, LaGrange County, treasurer; and Amy Burbrink, Jennings County, secretary. Also elected were Taylor Rexing, Gibson County, reporter; Cole Smith, Hendricks County, Ag Council representative; Kayla Hoenert, Posey County, policy chair; and Bre Lemler, Marshall County, events coordinator. (INFB 5/4/15).
Home, family conference June 9-11 in Indianapolis—Purdue is
co-sponsoring the annual Indiana Extension Homemakers Association’s Home and Family Conference. The conference will be June 9-11 at the Sheraton Hotel at Keystone Crossing in Indianapolis and includes more than 20 sessions on health and wellness, family relationships, community and technology. In addition to the daily concurrent sessions, attendees can tour the governor’s residence and Crown Hill Cemetery or the Ronald McDonald House and Riley Cheer Guild. The conference’s keynote speaker is Mark Lindquist,
a motivational speaker and author of the book Passion! 8 Steps to Find Yours. The Indiana Extension Homemakers Association was founded in 1913 by a group of homemakers and Purdue professors with the goal of providing social and educational opportunities for homemakers and encouraging the teaching of home economics in schools. In its first year, the group contributed to the passing of the Smith-Lever Act, which created the Cooperative Extension Service to provide instruction in agriculture and home economics. Early registration for the full conference costs $175, and single-session registration costs $95. There are additional fees for heritage skills and tours. Free parking is available in the garage adjacent to the Sheraton. For more information or to register online, visit www.conf.purdue.edu/ homeandfamily. (Purdue 5/4/15)
Farm Bureau kicks off 2015 photo contest—The American Farm
Bureau Federation, in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, has announced the 2015 Farm Bureau photo contest. The contest is open to all state and county Farm Bureau members and staff above 18 years of age at the time of entry, including professional photographers. Photo submissions will be used to accurately portray today’s agriculture and the safe practices of farmers and ranchers, and also for future publications, promotions and social media by AFBF and related companies. All photos
November 15-17 Indiana Convention Center Indianapolis
submitted must exemplify safe practices on the farm or ranch. The contest runs May 15, 2015, through March 31, 2016. Photos may be entered in four categories: Farm Families, Farm Labor, Technology and Consumer Outreach. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the top three placing photos from each category. First place winners will be awarded $150, second place $100 and third place $75. Judges will also select a “Best in Show” winner for the most dynamic photo entered across all categories as well as two runners-up. The Best in Show winner will receive $400, with first runner-up and second runner-up receiving $300 and $200, respectively. “The timeframe for this competition opens up vast possibilities for members interested in capturing farm and ranch photos throughout the four seasons,” said Kim Baker, AFBF’s assistant director, creative services. “We look forward to seeing a bumper crop of diverse submissions from photographers around the country for this contest.” Contest winners will be announced April 15 on Farm
Bureau’s social media platforms and website. For more information on how to register and to view the contest rules and regulations, visit the 2015 Farm Bureau photo contest webpage at http://photocontest. fb.org. Questions about the contest may be sent via email to photocontest@ fb.org. (AFBF 5/13/15)
Pasture walks and field tours cap Purdue grazing workshop—The Southern
Indiana Purdue Ag Center in Dubois will host the “Grazing 102” workshop June 9 and 10. Livestock producers will learn the essential concepts of managing a successful grazing operation. Topics on the first day are plant growth and development, fencing systems, soil fertility, forage identification and use, watering systems, forage economics, extending the grazing season and determining forage needs. Extension livestock and forage specialists will lead pasture walks and field tours
—By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team Does your family have a plan in place for the next generation to take over the farm? The Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation has scheduled a seminar on July 21 that will provide resources on estate and succession planning for farm families. “Passing the farm to the next generation isn’t as easy as handing over the tractor keys,” said John Shoup, IALF director. “Our seminar will cover some of the issues that people don’t necessarily think about, like land valuation and legal tools.”
The day-long event will feature sessions on family dynamics, financing considerations, valuation of land assets and leasing value, an accountant’s perspective on the succession process and legal tools to help implement a succession plan. The seminar will end with a question-and-answer panel with several of the day’s presenters. Early registration for farmers and landowners is available for $50 until June 19. If space is still available, the registration cost after June 19 will be $75. For lawyers seeking continuing legal education credits, the price is $75
Legal Affairs Team
Public Relations Team
Regional Managers
President...................................... Don Villwock Vice President.................................Randy Kron Second Vice President................. Isabella Chism Chief Operating Officer/Treasurer....Mark Sigler Receptionist...................................... Kim Duke General Fund Accountant.............. Tiffanie Ellis Office Manager & Meeting Planner.Kay Keown Controller.......................................Elaine Rueff Administrative Assistant....................Jill Shanley Executive Secretary..................... Beverly Thorpe
Director & General Counsel ...Mark Thornburg Associate Counsel for Corporate Compliance & Nonprofit Affairs ............Sara MacLaughlin Legal Assistant........................... Maria Spellman
Director & Editor .......................Andy Dietrick Web Designer/Developer..............Diane Brewer Publications Managing Editor & Media Relations Specialist...... Kathleen Dutro Marketing & PR Specialist.............. Mindy Reef Communications Assistant......... Rachel Schrage
Wayne Belden (1 & 3) Greg Bohlander (6) Andrew Cleveland (4 & 6) Janice Deno (3) Jennifer Chandler Gish (9) Allison Hines (10) Amy Hutson (5) Susan Lawrence (2) John Newsom (1 & 2) Kermit Paris (8) Keegan Poe (5 & 8) Brad Ponsler (10) E.B. Rawles (7) Allie Rieth (4)
District Directors Larry Jernas (1) Kevin Ousley (2) Kevin Underwood (3) Steve Maple (4) Dave Wyeth (5)
Scott Trennepohl (6) Jeff Gormong (7) Mark Bacon (8) Philip Springstun (9) Robert Schickel (10)
Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation
Director........................................ Megan Ritter Policy Development & Industry Relations.........................Bob Cherry National Government Relations Policy Advisor................. Kyle Cline Policy Advisor & Counsel..............Amy Cornell State Government Relations Director...................................... Katrina Hall Administrative Assistant .............. Diane Helton Administrative Assistant .............Wanda Hunter Senior Policy Advisor & Counsel..................................Justin Schneider Livestock Development Specialist... Greg Slipher Direct Retail Business Specialist........Bob White
7 easy ways to educate about ag—The
American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is suggesting seven fun ways to promote ag education in the community. Ideas range from reading an accurate ag book, to playing “My American Farm” or taking your farm stories and experiences to social media. Visit www.agfoundation.org to learn more about ag literacy. (AFBF 4/2/15)
IALF to offer estate, succession planning seminar
Administrative/Finance Team
Public Policy Team
on the second day. The workshop runs 1-6 p.m. June 9 and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 10. SIPAC is at 11371 E. Purdue Farm Road. Registration is required by June 1. Cost is $50 per person and $25 for each additional registration from the same farm. The fee includes reference materials, speakers’ notes and management tools. Lunch is provided on the second day. For more information, contact Jason Tower, SIPAC superintendent, at 812-6784427, or towerj@purdue.edu. A flier for the workshop is posted at www.purdueforage. info. (Purdue 5/4/15)
Organizational Development Team Acting Director.................... Mel Hollingsworth Program Assistant........................ Ashley Beasley Field Services Program Director.....Chris Fenner Young Farmer & Women’s Program Coordinator................ Meggie Foster Membership Sales & Marketing Coordinator................ Chelsea Poe Program Assistant.......................Kathryn Rogers Education Coordinator.................... Julie Taylor Member Services Coordinator...........Anna Todd Program Assistant............................ Tracie Trent
Indiana Farm Bureau Inc./ Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Director of Affiliate Relations.................. Julie Klarich
before June 19 and $100 after that date. Space is limited for this event. Early sign-up is encouraged. This is the second seminar on estate and succession planning offered by the IALF. Last year’s seminar focused on the estate planning process; future sessions are planned. Indiana Farm Bureau is a sponsor of the seminar, which will be held at the INFB home office in downtown Indianapolis. Registration and additional information is available on the IALF website, www.inaglaw.org, or by calling Maria Spellman, 317692-7840.
Address Letters & Questions To: Indiana Farm Bureau Inc. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290. Phone: 1-800-327-6287 or (317) 692-7776 E-Mail Address: askus@infarmbureau.org Duplicate Magazines If you are receiving more than one copy of The Hoosier Farmer®, please cut out both labels and return them to the address above. Magazine Design and Layout Davis Graphic Design www.davisgraphics.com The Hoosier Farmer® is published 14 times per year by Indiana Farm Bureau Inc., P.O. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206, and is furnished as a service to voting members and others. Controlled circulation. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hoosier Farmer® P.O. Box 1290 Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290. Copyright 2015. All rights reserved.
Director..................... John Shoup
May 26, 2015
www.thehoosierfarmer.com
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Around indiana
Huntington University hires ag director —From Huntington University Huntington University has hired Dr. Raymond Porter as the director of its new Institute for Agricultural Studies. For 23 years, Porter has served as a research associate for the University of Minnesota’s North Central Research/ Outreach Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. He led the wild rice breeding project, building on three years of post-doctoral work at the center. His responsibilities included grant-writing, budget oversight, hiring and supervision of research personnel, planning, analysis and reporting. Research areas involved plant breeding, agronomy, plant pathology, seeds and plot maintenance. “With his previous position in research at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Porter brings a wealth of experience in agriculture,” said Dr. Mike Wanous, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university. “He has a strong background in working with farmers and service providers in the agricultural sector.” Porter holds a doctorate in plant breeding with minors in entomology and international agriculture from Cornell University, a master’s in science and religion from Biola University and a bachelor’s in biology with a concentration in human needs and global resources from Wheaton College. He has authored or co-authored more than 100 articles, primarily focused on American wild rice. Established in the fall of 2014, HU’s Institute for Agricultural Studies promotes a Christian perspective on agriculture, which recognizes a responsibility to be good stewards of God’s creation and to examine questions of sustainability and justice. “My vision is that Huntington University’s IAS would become a center of excellence in teaching agriculture from a Christian perspective,” Porter said. HU’s agribusiness program, set to enroll students in fall of 2015, is intended to meet the growing need for agribusiness professionals and includes concentrations in agrimanagement, agrimarketing, agrieconomics and finance, agrientrepreneurial small business management, crop production, communication and public policy, and ministry and missions. For more information about the program, log on to www. huntington.edu/agriculture.
www.thehoosierfarmer.com
Adams.............. July 19-23 Allen ............... July 28-August 2 Bartholomew ... July 10-18 Benton ............. July 22-27 Blackford ......... July 10-18 Boone .............. July 24-30 Brown ............. July 26-August 1 Carroll ............. July 10-18 Cass ................. July 5-11 Clark ............... July 10-18 Clay ................. July 18-24 Clinton ............ July 11-18 Crawford ......... July 5-12 Daviess 1 ......... July 17-24 Dearborn ......... June 21-27 Decatur ........... July 9-16 DeKalb 2 .......... September 28-October 3 Delaware 3 ....... July 13-22, July 20-25 Dubois ............ July 14-19 Elkhart ............. July 24-August 1 Fayette ............. July 26-August 1 Floyd ............... June 29-July 4 Fountain .......... July 17-23 Franklin ........... July 13-18 Fulton .............. July 11-18 Gibson ............ July 5-11 Grant ............... June 21-27 Greene ............ July 10-18 Hamilton ......... July 16-22 Hancock .......... June 19-26 Harrison 4 ........ July 10-16 Hendricks ........ July 19-25 Henry .............. July 8-18 Howard ........... July 13-18 Huntington ...... July 17-30 Jackson ............ July 26-August 1 Jasper .............. July 18-24 Jay 5 ................. July 5-10, July 6-12 Jefferson .......... July 10-18 Jennings ........... July 6-11 Johnson ........... July 19-25 Knox................. July 20-25 Kosciusko ........ July 13-18 Lagrange .......... July 11-18 Lake ................ August 7-16 Laporte ............ July 12-18 Lawrence ......... July 18-25 Madison .......... July 19-25 Marion ............ June 19-27 Marshall .......... July 12-18 Martin ............. July 10-14 Miami .............. June 21-27
Monroe ........... July 25-August 1 Montgomery .... July 17-24 Morgan ............ July 31-August 8 Newton ........... July 13-18 Noble .............. July 11-18 Ohio ................ June 27-July 4 Orange ............ July 10-17 Owen .............. July 5-12 Parke ............... July 18-25 Perry ................ July 10-13 Pike ................. July 12-18 Porter ............... July 23-August 1 Posey ............... July 12-18 Pulaski ............. July 4-9 Putnam ............ July 17-25 Randolph ......... July 18-23 Ripley .............. July 19-25 Rush ................ June 20-27 Scott ................ July 12-17 Shelby ............. July 6-11 Spencer ........... June 26-30 St. Joseph ......... July 3-11 Starke .............. July 11-18 Steuben ........... July 17-23 Sullivan ........... July 18-25 Switzerland ..... July 11-18 Tippecanoe ...... July 18-25 Tipton .............. July 10-15 Union .............. July 18-23 Vanderburgh .... July 18-25 Vermillion ....... June 19-26 Vigo ................ July 12-18 Wabash ........... June 30-July 11 Warren ............ June 9-13 Warrick ........... July 13-18 Washington ..... June 21-27 Wayne ............. June 20-27 Wells ............... July 11-16 White .............. July 25-30 Whitley ........... July 17-23 Daviess: County Fair – June 19-27 (Elnora); County 4-H Show – July 17-24 (Washington) 2 DeKalb: Summer Judging – July 18 -22; Fall Fair – September 28 – Oct. 3 3 Delaware: 4-H Fair – July 13-22; County Fair – July 20-25 4 Harrison: 4-H Fair – July 10-16; County Ag Fair – July 12-18 5 Jay: 4-H Fair – July 5-10; County Fair – July 6-12 1
May 26, 2015
4
Special report
2015 Genera
Farm Bureau calls the 201
It was a nail-biter of a session, according to Farm Bureau lobbyists, but in the end, Indiana Farm Bureau achieved most of its legislative priorities. The priorities for 2
Key points: significant and lasting relief for agriculture; tax fairness between property classes; and a property tax burden based on ability to pay.
Key points: final outcome from a simple majority petition; more transparent process; no municipal taxes on farmland.
Farmland taxes
Legislation passed in final minutes of the session will save farmers millions
$4,500
$4,000
$3,500
$3,000
Frustration among farmers escalated in April as they received their farmland tax bills that had increased as much as 50 percent in some areas due to another 16.5 percent jump in the base $2,500 value. Repeated increases in the base value have caused agriculture’s property tax burden in 2014 to be $146 million above that in 2007. $2,000 Recognizing that this tax burden is not sustainable in the crop sector where corn and bean prices have decreased dramatically, $1,500 Sen. Brandt Hershman, R-Buck Creek, authored SEA 436, sponsored in the House by Rep. Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville, chairman of the Ways & Means Committee. $1,000 This multi-faceted legislation includes critical farmland property tax relief. In spite of last-minute negotiations concerning assessments for big-box stores that nearly killed the bill, SEA 436 $500 passed out of the House by a vote of 98-0 and the Senate 49-0 in the final 30 minutes of the session. SEA 436 provisions save farmland owners $52.4 million in $‐ 2016, $86.5 million in 2017 and $111.1 million in 2018. It delays the soil productivity factors for the fourth session in a row and freezes the base value at $2,050 for taxes paid in 2016. Starting in 2017, the base will be adjusted and each year thereafter by the lesser of the result of the current base value formula or the prior year base times the AGQ (average growth quotient) which for 2015 was 2.7 percent. A long term solution will be investigated in an interim study committee the summer. The bill also clarifies the definition of land that should be classified as agricultural and gives assessors more flexibility in assessing excess acres. As-
State budget
Farm Bureau priorities fare well In spite of the disappointing revenue forecast presented in April, Farm Bureau priorities received funding in the biennial budget. House Enrolled Act 1001 passed the House 69-30 and Senate 40-9. The budget spends $31.5 billion over the next two years and ends the biennium without impacting combined reserves. It increases K-12 funding by $466 million (2.3 percent increase in FY 2016 and a 2.3 percent increase in FY 2017) and total university operating funds by $220 million. Purdue’s highest priority capital project, a new Life Sciences Building, was funded and will include livestock facilities. The budget emphasizes funding for public safety and corrections as a follow-up to criminal code reform legislation that passed last year. A second bill, HEA 1006, stressed the use of more community corrections. County govern-
May 26, 2015
ments have been anxiously awaiting this promised funding and are hoping it is sufficient. The items in the final budget that Farm Bureau pursued include $50,000 for a study of how local zoning impacts agriculture, $200,000 per year for the development of a voluntary water monitoring network, and $500,000 more per year for the Indiana Board of Animal Health. A potential new funding source for meat and poultry inspections was vetoed in HEA 1270 because it came from wagering taxes to be collected at the state’s two racinos. In addition to increased overall funding in the school tuition formula, career and technical education received more funds but the new funds in CTE will be distributed with a new formula. How this affects onehour classes such as vo-ag and FFA remains to be seen.
Key points: water is critical to farming; qu monitoring in priority areas; statewide analy ply and demand.
Comparing base values before and after SEA 436
$3,220
$3,230
$3,020
Base x .5 SPF Base Value Base x 1.28 SEA 436 x .5 SPF
$2,420
SEA 436 Base Value SEA 436 x 1.28 SPF
$2,281 $2,162
$2,330
$2,221 $1,760
$2,390
$2,050
Relief begins in 2016, saving farmers $250 million between 2016‐2018
sessors may not use excess acre influence factors in the place of ag land assessments. County assessors must now notify taxpayers in writing when their property tax classification has changed and explain why the change occurred. If the classification change is appealed, the assessor will have the burden to prove the change was justified.
Other bills
Zoning study narrowly passes SEA 249, which requires a study of zoning ordinances’ impact on livestock production, passed but only with difficulty. Authored by Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, the bill passed the Senate and House easily, but an amendment inserted during conference committee nearly defeated it. It requires Purdue to study the impact of zoning ordinances on livestock production. Counties can currently place moratoriums on livestock construction, and in many cases, the restrictions have been so rigid that livestock facilities can be built in only a handful of places in the county. SEA 249 also includes concepts contained in HEA 1170, allowing garbage treated in compliance with BOAH standards to be fed to swine and making Indiana law consistent with federal regulations. SEA 249 and HEA 1170 also establish a pi-
lot market-reporting service within ISDA for livestock and forage products. HEA 1549 raises the Indiana Grain Indemnity Fund cap and updates the grain buyer and warehouse operator law. The cap on the fund, used to protect farmers in the event of a failure of a licensed grain buyer, will increase to $25 million. Collections of producer premiums equal to 0.2 percent of the price of all grain sold in Indiana will begin in July. INFB policy supports a strong Indiana Grain Indemnification Fund. HEA 1549, authored by Rep. Don Lehe, R-Brookston, also made several technical updates to the Indiana Grain Buyers and Warehouse Licensing Agency statute that enable the agency to more closely monitor the activities and assets of grain buyers.
www.thehoosierfarmer.com
5
special report
al Assembly
Stories by Katrina Hall Justin Schneider & Amy Cornell Public Policy Team & Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team
15 session a ‘big success’
2015, as identified by the INFB Board of Directors, were:
uantity ysis of sup-
Key points: increase funding for rural schools; more for local roads and bridges; maintain funding for rural Indiana.
Annexation
Bill that passes legislature includes major reforms After a three-year effort by Indiana Farm Bureau, a bill that includes significant reforms to the state’s laws governing annexation has been signed into law by Gov. Pence. Compromise took on a new meaning in the negotiations on the measure, SEA 330. It took countless concessions and compromises during the session and especially on the final day, but SEA 330 passed the House 87-0 and the Senate 43-6 just before midnight on the final day of the session. “Passage of SEA 330 is an outstanding victory for Indiana Farm Bureau and the rural landowners that we represent,” said Katrina Hall, INFB state government relations director. It contains significant forced annexation reforms including stopping an annexation when 65 percent of the landowners in the proposed annexation sign a remonstrance petition. This eliminates the current requirement that forces landowners to go to court to fight an attempted annexation and having to pay the costs of that court battle. “We must thank the bill author Sen. Phil Boots, R-Crawfordsville, for his leadership and commitment to getting a bill passed in spite of stiff opposition from mayors across the state,” Hall said.
Indiana Farm Bureau President Don Villwock (left) and Vice President Randy Kron (right) discuss annexation with Sen. Phil Boots, R-Crawfordsville. Photo by Rachel Schrage
This bill should make a dent in broad annexations that include thousands of acres of farmland. After July 1, 2015, any farmland annexed will not pay city or town taxes so long as it is assessed as farmland. Farm Bureau fought against an economic development loophole included in some versions of the bill. Even though it ended up in the final version, there are now strict limits, including the requirement is that there must be an actual project where the number of jobs that will be created is revealed. Any project would have to start within 12 months and be completed within 36 months after annexation otherwise, the land automatically will be removed from city jurisdiction. The economic development language won’t take effect until January 1, 2017. In the meantime, the effects of SEA 330 provisions on economic development will be studied by an interim study committee and Farm Bureau will be actively participating in those discussions.
Water resources Farm Bureau entered the 2015 session with solid partnerships and goals that if achieved would put Indiana on the road to ensuring longterm access to sufficient supplies of water to meet all needs. As expected, the bills moved relatively easily with little opposition. In fact, there were less than a handful on “no” votes on the numerous bills addressing water issues that moved through the General Assembly. The one exception to the “relatively easy” passage was language creating a voluntary water resource monitoring network found in SB473 (authored by Ed Sen. Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso). It passed the Senate, but got held up in the House because the fiscal impact statement originally indicated the need for new personnel at DNR. Ultimately, the fiscal note was clarified to indicate that new personnel were not needed, but the bill still did not move out of the House. Thanks to dedicated efforts by Farm Bureau staff, key allies, and several legislators, including Rep. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, revised language was inserted in HEA 1319 and signed by the governor on May 5.
www.thehoosierfarmer.com
It now looks like Indiana can once again create a monitoring network to better understand the aquifers underlying the state, including increasing the number of wells that are being monitored. The goal is to use water level, pumping volumes, and aquifer reactions to pumping to get a better understanding of aquifer capacity and how the aquifer will react to new water withdrawals. Farm Bureau will continue to work with USGS and DNR, key legislators and water utilities to finalize details for this network. “The law currently allows someone to pump all the water they want and to sell it to whomever they please,” said Justin Schneider, INFB senior policy advisor and counsel. “This is an everyday occurrence and is not a bad thing so long as plans are made to ensure that the water supply can meet demand.” Another part of the water resources package can be found in SEA 474, also authored by Charbonneau. SEA 474 recognizes that long term planning and reliance on successful models is important. The bill requires the Indiana Finance Authority to conduct an analysis of the planning
Photo by Kathleen M. Dutro
Steps in place to ensure long-term access to water
and long-range needs of the utilities serving the 15 most populous cities and five various types of utilities serving less than 10,000 customers. In conducting the analysis, the authority is to review access to water resources, fiscal sustainability and regional cooperation among utilities. “Farm Bureau engaged in this legislation, which passed without a single ‘no’ vote, because of the need
of much of rural Indiana for access to sufficient supplies of water,” Schneider said. “Many rural areas do not have available groundwater and financial constraints have limited the ability to operate rural water utilities. The study should help provide a model for successful efforts to deliver water where it is needed without negatively impacting other areas of the state.”
May 26, 2015
6
communication
Farm Bureau publications: They’re not just for reading any more —By Andy Dietrick Public Relations Team We have a rule on the INFB public relations team: Get the most out of everything we do. If we shoot a photo for The Hoosier Farmer, let’s find a way to use it online or in a presentation. If we write a story, can it be shortened for a Facebook post or a series of tweets? If we’re visiting a farm for an interview, pull out the phone and shoot some video, too. This kind of content repurposing isn’t only practical, in today’s communications world it’s necessary. There are more channels to fill today, and reusing content makes good business sense. We’d like you to think about the printed pieces you receive from us in the same way. A lot of work goes into each issue of The
Hoosier Farmer and My Indiana Home. We hope that you read what we send, but it doesn’t have to end there. How can we extend the reach and usefulness of our printed publications? So while you might use the latest Hoosier Farmer to soak up oil on the shop floor or My Indiana Home to line your birdcage, here are a couple of additional uses you might want to consider. • Clip articles on specific topics as a personal resource file. Issues of The Hoosier Farmer leading up to the legislative session generally have articles that outline INFB’s priorities and policy positions. During session, we run more in-depth analysis on specific issues (property taxes, annexation, water resources, the budget). Clip these, drop them into a marked
folder, and you have all the ammunition you need to make your case with legislators, commissioners or your neighbor. • Share The Hoosier Farmer with local elected officials, especially editions that contain timely and pertinent articles about the issue at hand. If they are members and receive the publication, thank them for being part of the organization. If they aren’t, it’s a recruitment opportunity. • The Hoosier Farmer might also work as a media relations tool. If an article addresses an issue that’s important to your community, feel free to use it as a resource. If you can then take that information and localize it to your community or county, you might be able to interest local media in doing a story, too.
• If you’ve got a stack of My Indiana Home magazines under the coffee table gathering dust, think about donating them to a local school or library. Yes, recipes are the most popular section of the magazine, but there are plenty of stories about Indiana agriculture that might be of interest to teachers and readers. • Use the publications as part of your membership pitch. It’s easier to talk about the benefits of membership when you have hard copy examples in hand. • Find another home for past issues. Many members have had good luck with placing My Indiana Home in medical and dental waiting rooms that they frequent. How about your doctor or dentist, or the local hospital? Would they like copies?
Share yours with them. These are just a few ideas, but you get the idea. Look for new ways to share with others the ideas, information, analysis, photos and member benefits that are in every issue we produce.
Members Matter
Membership committee formed —By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team Indiana Farm Bureau has formed a committee that will dedicate its time to keeping membership at the forefront of the organization’s plans. “With membership being one of the key focuses for Indiana Farm Bureau this year, the membership committee will play an important role in driving and developing new and innovative campaigns,” said Chelsea Poe, INFB membership marketing and sales coordinator. “Having members from each depart-
ment of Farm Bureau allows us to broaden our scope and look at membership from all angles.” As Poe mentioned, the committee includes members from all Indiana Farm Bureau staff teams. Farm Bureau members will also be added to the committee. The group will work together to organize membership materials and determine what new materials may be necessary. Still in the early phases of development, the committee has several recommendations for improving membership activities for counties,
individual members and between Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance and Indiana Farm Bureau. One of the first decisions made was to have a membership item every Monday on two of INFB’s social media accounts, Indiana Farm Bureau News on Facebook and @infarmbureau on Twitter. Members are encouraged to share the membership message on their own accounts. Keep reading The Hoosier Farmer for more information about the ongoing work of this committee.
Membership sweepstakes begins in June —By Rachel Schrage Public Relations Team Indiana Farm Bureau is asking voting members to sign one new voting member in June. Any Farm Bureau member who signs a new voting member between June
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1 and June 30, 2015, will be entered to win one $500 gift card. To be eligible, your name must appear in the “referred by” box on a new member’s application. Your name will be entered once for every new voting member that you
sign. Applications must be postmarked by June 30. The drawing will take place on July 6. Completed applications should be sent to the INFB office at the following address: Indiana Farm Bureau Attention: K. Rogers – Membership Contest P.O. Box 1290 Indianapolis, IN 46206 The same contest will also take place in July, August and September. For more information and to see official rules, visit www.infarmbureau.org/ infb/about-us/membershipsweepskates.
Statehouse activities offer opportunity for recognition —By Chris Fenner Organizational Development Team How can your county Farm Bureau capitalize on a successful legislative session where we had significant advancements in all our priority issues? With successes in annexation, farmland taxes, water and the budget, there are many victories to thank legislators for. Your county Farm Bureau can continue to build your relationship with your legislators by hosting a post-legislative session to thank elected officials for voting positively for issues important to farmers in Indiana. We want you to receive the most credit possible in the County Recognition Program for your activities. You can receive credit for submitting a picture and a short article about your Statehouse visits, submitting letters to the editor in your local paper, and/or hosting post-
legislative meeting for your membership. We also know that many of you have been working hard on your policy development resolutions this spring. Inviting local officials or other experts into those discussions, sharing your local policy with locally elected officials, publishing your policy resolutions to your membership, surveying your membership about their opinions of resolutions being considered in your county, or submitting your passed resolutions within two weeks of their approval are all check boxes counties can earn for their policy development efforts. Make the most of your efforts by publishing and sharing your county activities with local media outlets. Thanks for all your efforts so far this year and we look forward to continuing to recognize great efforts at state convention this year.
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State & Nation
‘Get a Move on for GMOs’ helps farmers stand up for biotechnology —From the AFBF Communications Team GetaMoveOn.fb.org is Farm Bureau’s just-launched advocacy website that gives farmers and ranchers a simple way to “Get a Move On” for GMOs. Through the website, farmers can easily express support for a national, science-based labeling standard, like the approach taken in the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (H.R. 1599). “Now is the time for farmers and ranchers to take action in support of innovation in agriculture,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. “Access to crop traits that resist pests, diseases and drought stress is helping farmers across the nation grow more food using less land, water, fuel and pesticides,” Stallman said. “Biotechnology
will offer even more benefits in the future.” From the website, farmers and ranchers can send House members emails encouraging “yea” votes for the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. The bill will clarify the Food and Drug Administration as the nation’s foremost authority on food safety and create a voluntary labeling program run by the Agriculture Department’s Agricultural Marketing Service, the same agency that administers the USDA Organic Program. The legislation will provide a federal solution to protect consumers from a confusing patchwork of 50-state GMO labeling policies, and the misinformation and high food costs that would come with them. Through GetaMoveOn. fb.org, farmers can not only connect with their lawmak-
ers, but find state-by-state fact sheets detailing the value and share of GMO crops in each state. They can then share this information in their emails. “It’s critical that we as farmers help our lawmakers understand that there’s a cost associated with discouraging agricultural innovation,” Stallman said. “That cost will go well beyond the higher prices consumers will pay at the supermarket if each state passes its own GMO labeling law,” he added. In addition to the advocacy site, Farm Bureau’s grassroots toolkit continues to be a helpful resource for farmers and ranchers who want to share the many positives about biotechnology with policymakers, community members and others. Accessible at fb.org/biotech, this free online resource includes an overview of biotechnol-
ogy; an explanation of biotechnology’s benefits to consumers, the environment, farmers, the U.S. economy, and more; links to credible sources for biotech information; and avenues for getting active on social media. A strong consumer-focused resource is GMOAnswers.com, which allows
people to ask any and all questions about GMOs. Responses come from independent experts in leading academic institutions, industry groups and representatives from Biotechnology Industry Organization member companies. The website also features studies, articles and safety data.
Indiana home to 11 ‘America’s Best Communities’ finalists —By Rachel Schrage Public Relations Team Of the 50 quarterfinalists for the title of America’s Best Communities, 11 are in Indiana. The competition, sponsored by Frontier Communications and DISH Network, focuses on rural revitalization and will provide $10 million in prize money over the course of three years. “It seems like this is a prefect representation of Indiana and the Midwest,” said Dan Sullivan, Indiana president of Frontier Communications. “I’m extremely proud that so many Indiana communities made the quarterfinals. It’s great to watch communities come together over a competition like this.” One hundred and thirtyeight teams, which represented 347 communities, applied. The 50 finalists will be matched with mentors
from some of the largest companies in the United States. They will have seven months and $50,000 to work on their plans and proposals for a presentation in September. Madison is one of the quarterfinalists. Its revitalization proposal includes funding for infrastructure, workforce and quality of life improvements. “When we heard the name, we immediately thought Madison fit the description,” said Andrew Forrester, director of community relations for Madison. “Madison is a well-kept secret, but despite all of its assets, we know it can be so much more. So we’re going for the grand prize money and, most importantly, the title of America’s Best Community.” Further north, Wabash is also a quarterfinalist. “We saw this competi-
Eleven of the 50 towns named quarterfinalists in a competition for the title of “America’s Best Community” are in the Hoosier state. The Indiana quarterfinalists are Angola, Greencastle, Jasper, Lafayette, LaPorte, Madison, Richmond, Terre Haute, Valparaiso, Wabash and Westfield.
tion as a chance to bring our community together, to work toward making it a better place to live, work, and play,” said Keith Gillenwater, president and CEO of the economic development
group in Wabash. “We are thrilled for the opportunity and we know we have a compelling story to tell.” Eight semifinalists will be chosen after presentations in September. The $3 million
grand prize will be awarded in October 2017. For more information on the contest, or to see the stories of all 50 quarterfinalists, visit www. americasbestcommunities. com.
the upcoming school year. An optional orientation session is available for volunteers who have not received AITC training. Volunteers must attend an orientation session before presenting an AITC program. The registration deadline is May 29 (right around the time this issue of The Hoosier Farmer is scheduled to be in members’ mailboxes). The update is free and lunch is provided.
For more information and to register, visit www. infb.org and look under the “Events” menu. To learn more about Indiana’s AITC program, visit www.inaitc. org.
Ag in the Classroom Update scheduled —By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team Volunteers interested in delivering Ag in the Classroom programs still have time to register for the 2015 AITC Update. The update is on June 10 at the Indiana Farm Bureau home office. Volunteers who need to be trained, veteran volunteers, classroom teachers, junior and senior FFA members and college stu-
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dents majoring in education are encouraged to attend. There is no cost to participate. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. with a welcome from INFB 2nd Vice President Isabella Chism. Sessions during the update will cover communication, finding resources, hands-on activities and recognition for volunteers and teachers. Author Michelle Houts will give a keynote ad-
dress and sign two of her books, The Beef Princess of Practical County and The Practical County Drama Queen. Both books will be available for purchase at the update. The Beef Princess of Practical County is part of the Ag Literacy Toolkit that schools received earlier this month. Teachers who attend will receive a tote bag with materials and resources to use in their classrooms during
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Around InFB
Ag education toolkits being distributed —By Rachel Schrage Public Relations Team
Volunteers from Owen, Vigo, Monroe, Clay and Greene counties gathered in Bloomfield on April 29 for a little bit of media training from Mindy Reef, INFB marketing and PR specialist (shown at left) and Kathleen Dutro, INFB media relations specialist and publications managing editor (not shown). The INFB PR team plans to hold similar training sessions across the state over the next few months. Photo by Kathleen M. Dutro
MEMBER BENEFIT
A toolkit that uses agriculture to teach students about math, science, history, technology and nutrition has arrived in several Indiana elementary schools, courtesy of Indiana Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program. “We hope that teachers are as excited to receive this toolkit as we are to be able to provide it,” said Julie Taylor, education coordinator at Indiana Farm Bureau. “It is filled with resources that help educators incorporate agriculture in their everyday lessons, which is the mission of Ag in the Classroom.” The Agricultural Literacy Toolkits were created as part of an agricultural education grant from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. At least one school in each Indiana county will receive a toolkit. The materials in the kit are suitable for grades three through five and meet Indiana educational standards. Each toolkit includes: • 30 copies of the Indiana Ag Mag, a 12-page publication about Indiana agri-
Benton County Farm Bureau’s Glenda Wallpe (left) presenting Boswell Elementary School Principal Gail Lange with an Ag Literacy Toolkit.
culture created by Indiana Farm Bureau. • A copy of The Beef Princess of Practical County by Michelle Houts. • Agriculture resources for teachers. • Color-changing pencils with an activity. • A copy of the Indiana Activity Book. The grant also provided funding for a new website. Barn Tours, http://barntours.
inaitc.org, is an online resource for children and adults to learn about Indiana agriculture, farming and agricultural careers. There are no complete toolkits remaining, but packages of the Indiana Ag Mag will be available for county Farm Bureaus to purchase in the coming weeks. They will be available through the county access portion of infb.org.
Contest opens in June for entrepreneurs —By Mindy Reef INFB Public Relations Team & the AFBF Communications Team Individuals with an idea for a food or agricultural business have a chance at a portion of $145,000 through the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge. The challenge, now in its second year, provides an opportunity for individuals to showcase ideas and business innovations being cultivated in rural regions of the United States. It is the first national business competition focused exclusively on rural entrepreneurs working on food and agriculture businesses. “Farmers – and many other people involved in agriculture – are great inventors,” said Don Villwock, INFB president. “I think making things better and more efficient is in our genetics. We know that there are Farm Bureau members in Indiana who have the kind of ideas that could win this competition.” Contest entries will be accepted between June 1 and June 30.
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New this year, competitors must have an idea for a business that is related directly or indirectly to food and agriculture. Businesses directly related to food and agriculture include farms or ranches, value-added food processing, food hubs, community-supported agriculture programs, farmto-table restaurants and farmers markets. Businesses indirectly related to food and agriculture include support services such as crop scouting, agritourism, ag advertising agencies and ag tech companies that develop apps. Also new, Farm Bureau will endeavor to connect top scoring teams with resources for crowdfunding loans to help them jumpstart their businesses. “Taking a startup company from innovative concept, to strategy, to reality often hinges on access to capital,” said Lisa Benson, AFBF’s director of rural development. “The challenge and crowdfunding are great options for small rural business owners to access necessary funding to take their business to the next level.”
Competitors must be based in a rural community as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Competitors’ primary residences or businesses must be located in a county with less than 50,000 residents or a town with less than 2,500 residents. All applications, which include a business plan, video pitch and photo, must be submitted by June 30. Judges will review the applications and provide feedback to the participants. Participants have the option of resubmitting portions of their applications; resubmission is optional and participants are not penalized for not resub-
mitting their applications. The top 10 teams will be announced on Oct. 15. This includes six teams that will win $10,000 in startup funds and four finalist teams who will win $15,000 in startup funds and compete in a live competition at AFBF’s 97th Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida, in January. Finalists will compete for the grand prize title Farm Bureau Rural Entrepreneur of the Year and $15,000 in additional startup funds to implement their ideas. One of the finalists also will be honored with the People’s Choice Award and $10,000
in additional startup funding. The competition timeline, detailed eligibility guidelines, a preview of the online application and profiles of the 2015 finalist teams are available at www.strongruralamerica.com/challenge. Judges for the challenge come from a wide range of economic development backgrounds, including banking, universities and rural development non-profit organizations. Farm Bureau staff at the county, state and national level or one of Farm Bureau’s affiliate companies may not serve as judges or enter the competition.
Calendar of Events May 30
INFB Leaders in Action session 3, Indianapolis.
June 6 Vintage Indiana Wine Festival, Military Park, Indianapolis. 10 Ag in the Classroom update, Indianapolis. 13 District 3 summer meeting, Prophetstown. 13 District 9 summer picnic, Crawford County. 17, 18 Indiana Farm Bureau Board of Directors meeting, Indianapolis. 20 District 1 summer meeting, St. Joseph County. 23, 24 Purdue Farm Management Tour, Adams and Jay counties. 30 Deadline for entry in the June membership sweepstakes, www.infarmbureau.org/infb/about-us/membership-sweepskates.
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