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New ISDA director will focus on revising Indiana’s strategic plan

By MEGGIE I. FOSTER
Assistant Editor

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — With a passion for agriculture and a love for the Hoosier state, there’s no better dream-come-true-job for Anne Hazlett then to return home from Washington, D.C. to serve as Indiana’s new director of agriculture.

And that dream became a reality on Dec. 5 as Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman announced the selection of Hazlett to serve as the state’s leading ag advisor, in a role designed to promote and strengthen Indiana’s ag industry.

“I have worked with many people in the agricultural industry over the years, and no one is more passionate about agriculture than Anne,” said Skillman.

“Anne will bring with her a wealth of experience that will provide a strong direction to the Department of Agriculture. Gov. Daniels and I look forward to working with her to guarantee that Indiana’s agricultural industry continues to be a key part in the state’s economic revitalization.”

A city girl gone country, Hazlett, originally of Indianapolis, will succeed Andy Miller, who led the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) for the past three and a half years until leaving the department to serve as the director for the Office of Disaster Recovery in the summer of 2008. Miller was named as the state’s new commissioner of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

When the ISDA job opportunity became available in the summer of 2008, Hazlett said there were two major reasons drawing her to apply for the state’s ag leadership post. “This (position) provided the opportunity to support the enthusiastic commitment the Daniels/Skillman administration has for the industry that I love,” she said. “Secondly, it was the opportunity to serve the industry that’s my life passion, and there’s nothing better than getting to do that in my home state.”

Hazlett will begin her new post on Jan. 12 with big goals and aspirations for the state’s multi-billion dollar agricultural industry. Her No. 1 goal upon her return is to finalize revisions of ISDA’s strategic plan, originally developed in 2005.

“The timing is ripe to relook at our strategic plan,” Hazlett said, adding that the process of revising the plan began in early 2008 with a survey on the ISDA website and input sessions with stakeholders. “The strategic plan will enable us to match key opportunities with our state’s resources and develop action items based on those opportunities.”

Also on Hazlett’s agenda heading into 2009 is attending to recommendations from the state’s regulatory task force commissioned by Skillman in 2007.

“My understanding is that they are on the brink of issuing their report, which will drive any future changes in the new year,” she explained. In the new year, Hazlett anticipates another interesting and potentially volatile year for agriculture.

“These are changing times in our economy, we’ve seen extreme volatility, high imput costs, and an ongoing challenge to educate consumers about modern day agriculture,” she added. “But the real challenge is in the education of our industry and expectations for it.”

When describing her leadership style, Hazlett said, “by nature I like to get a lot of input from outside stakeholders before reaching my decision. And once I reach a decision I’m very detailed- and action-oriented, which has always been a key to the Daniels/Skillman administration.”

Hazlett’s enthusiasm is no doubt fueled by her commitment to the Daniels and Skillman administration, recently re-elected for their second four-year term.

“Gov. Daniels has been very consistent with his commitment to our industry and making it a continued player in economic development,” she said. “I view much of my role as Andy Miller’s – to bring new economic opportunities to our industry.”

For the past two years, Hazlett has worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) as minority counsel for the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. In this capacity, she assisted in the eventual passage of the 2008 farm bill. Prior to this position, she served as chief of staff for Skillman. Hazlett has also worked for the U.S. House Agriculture Committee during the passage of the 2002 farm bill, as well as for both the California and Indiana Farm Bureaus. In her youth, Hazlett participated in 4-H by exhibiting livestock and horses in Indiana.

Hazlett is a Kansas State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications. She received her J.D. from Indiana University School of Law. Hazlett also has a specialized masters degree in agricultural law.

December 31, 2008

1/7/2009