As the sea of blue jackets once again flood downtown Indianapolis, the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) made sure all were welcome at the 83rd National FFA Convention, Oct. 20-23. The state’s soybean and corn checkoff organizations sponsored the National FFA Convention Welcome Luncheon which was Oct. 19, prior to the start of the convention. It was a great opportunity for ISA President Lynn Teel of Chalmers, Ind. and ICMC President Mike Shuter to tell the story of today’s agriculture where farmers are producing more food on less land with less impact on the environment.

FFA members and their guests from across the country joined Indiana civic and business leaders at the luncheon that kicked off four days of activities for the 55,000 FFA members in Indianapolis for the convention.

Teel told the room that in the last 20 years, soybean farmers across the country have reduced the amount of land used to grow a bushel of soybeans by 26 percent and the amount of energy used by 65 percent, according to the Keystone Center for Science and Public Policy. He also credited organizations like FFA for having a part in those successes by crafting young people into leaders of greatness.

As a past FFA member, Shuter also congratulated FFA for the diverse lessons and skills it instills in today’s youth.  He also spoke about how despite one of the driest summers in many years, the 2010 Indiana corn crop is still one of the largest on record. He pointed out that U.S. corn farmers are growing more than 20 percent more corn on the same number of acres as they were just 10 years ago. And how the corn grown here in Indiana will go towards making corn sugar, feeding our livestock, fueling our cars with ethanol – all of those made right here in the state.

The welcome luncheon at the National FFA Convention is just one way ISA and ICMC partners with FFA throughout the year. Both organizations also proudly support FFA activities within the state as well.

Save the date, the forum returns

The Indiana Livestock, Forage and Grain Forum is back for a second year on Friday, Jan. 28, 2011 at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis.

Last year, two winter meetings – the Indiana Livestock Forum and the Indiana Beef, Dairy and Forage Symposium – combined forces to bring 500 Indiana grain farmers and livestock producers together for a comprehensive program.

The Forum will feature the latest news, trends and issues affecting Indiana’s livestock, grain and forage industries.

The forum is sponsored by Indiana Soybean Alliance in conjunction with Indiana Beef Cattle Assoc., Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Forage Council, Indiana Professional Dairy Producers, Milk Promotion Services of Indiana, Inc., and Indiana Pork. Indiana State Department of Agriculture and Indiana Board of Animal of Health are also involved with developing the program.

While details of the day are still being determined, several popular segments from last year’s forum will be back, including the industry trade show and progressive lunch. For more information, visit www.indianasoybean.com/forum

Hoosier Horsepower program returns

ICMC and ISA, in conjunction with the Indianapolis Colts, recently announced that the lesson plans for the 2010-2011 Hoosier Horsepower Program are now available. The Hoosier Horsepower program, which features Colts tight end Dallas Clark as a spokesperson, provides standards-based lesson plans about biofuels and how they affect our state.

The program features a video contest which awards college scholarships to Indiana high school students. For each catch Clark makes this season, the Colts will donate $100 to the program on behalf of Indiana’s corn and soybean farmers. There are lesson plans, fun activities and Colts prizes for all grade levels. Additionally, teachers can earn grant money by participating in the program.

“I have always supported farmers and am proud of my involvement with the Hoosier Horsepower Program,” said Clark. “Knowing that we were raising money for students and teachers made each catch even more exciting.”

As of the Oct. 17 game against the Washington Redskins, Clark had a total of 37 catches on the season putting $3,700 into the scholarship fund already this year. The partnership with the Indianapolis Colts through the Hoosier Horsepower program has gone a long way to start a conversation with Hoosiers across the state about the benefits of biofuels to Indiana soybean and corn farmers, the state’s economy and our environment, according to Jerry Osterholt, a farmer from Roanoke, Ind. and chairman of ISA’s biodiesel committee.

Teachers and students can go to www.colts.com/hoosierhorsepower to learn more. For details, contact Cathy Arthur at 1-800-735-0195.