By NANCY VORIS
Indiana Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Property taxes and local government topped the list of priorities for 300 delegates to the recent Indiana Farm Bureau (IFB) policy session. The decisions made by delegates from every county will guide the organization in coming years.
“After much debate, the delegates approved language supporting the present system of county commissioners and county councils,” said IFB President Don Villwock.

The delegate body opposed the “idea of a single person as county executive” while supporting the “balanced reorganization of county government, other local government units and local government services” so long as it doesn’t diminish rural representation.
Delegates reaffirmed Farm Bureau’s support for livestock agriculture and agriculture in general for farms of all sizes, but opposed regulating agriculture concerning greenhouse gases, dust and noise. A new section was added to the policy manual supporting the development of wind energy in Indiana.
Advances by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) into other states to thwart livestock production was another emotional issue for policymakers, who created language in opposition to the “imposition of livestock moratoria by local official s or the state.”
“It’s much more difficult in Indiana to get something on a ballot initiative, and I think that’s why HSUS chooses to go to states like Ohio where it’s much easier and can be done through some sort of citizen signoff, where they can get X number of signatures and they’re on,” said Andy Dietrick, public relations director for IFB.

Delegates voiced their support of a statewide public relations campaign launched this year to communicate to the public the positives of modern agricultural practices. Seventy-nine counties so far have pledged money in support of the campaign.

Dietrich said the campaign depends on all farm families as ambassadors for agriculture. “It’s important for Indiana farm to families to tell their story as frequently as they can and let people know what they do and why they do it. Growing safe and affordable food not just for Hoosiers, but for people around the world,” he said. “I think it’s important for people that when they hear, read or see something inaccurate, that they as a farmer politely point out the inaccuracies and let people know what the truth is.”

Last year’s delegate session discussed ag labor, resulting in the creation of a farm labor task force. The task force met several times and crafted language that was approved by the delegate body.

The new language, Villwock said, addresses the need for a “stable, accessible, legal labor force” that is needed year-round, and emphasizes that the issue needs to be solved on a national level.