Lake Erie is a critical natural resource to Indiana; it's a source of drinking water, home to over half of the fish in the Great Lakes and attracts countless tourists every year. Unfortunately, harmful algal blooms continue to form around the Western Lake Erie Basin, which has led to increased water treatment costs and had a negative effect on tourism as well as the marine life. While there are many contributing factors, numerous farmers in Indiana are doing their part to reduce fertilizer runoff and improve soil health; however, nutrients are still leaving fields and entering Lake Erie.
That is why two years ago, the agricultural community came together in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan to launch an initiative aimed at improving water quality for the long-term,
known as the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program. This program
encourages nutrient service providers, agricultural retailers and other
certified professionals to adopt the 4R principles, which refer to applying
nutrients at the:
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Right Source: All sources of fertilizer
are accounted for in the nutrient recommendation.
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Right Rate: Soil tests, used to make
nutrient recommendations are less than four years old. Nutrient
application equipment is calibrated annually.
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Right Time: The timing of fertilizer
application avoids spreading on frozen or snow-covered fields. Nutrients
are not broadcast applied prior to a predicted heavy rainfall.
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Right Place: Phosphorus is applied below
the soil surface whenever possible. Nutrient application setbacks are
followed in sensitive areas.
The program provides a science-based and effective tool to manage plants and sustain crops, while considering the needs of farmers. There are 41
cumulative criteria (depending on the services provided) staggered
over a three year period, and participants must go through an annual,
independent, third-party audit while demonstrating that they both understand and
follow the 4R principles. To date, 34 facilities have received their certification in Michigan, Ohio – and now, Indiana.
The Andersons Inc., based in Waterloo, IN, just became the first nutrient
service provider in the state to achieve certified status. Their 4R certification means they
will be better able to manage and reduce nonpoint source runoff as they
provide an array of services dealing with chemicals and fertilizer application. ISDA commends the Andersons, Inc. on their commitment to conservation and for taking steps to improve soil health and water quality in the Western Lake Erie Basin.
As future regulations are being considered, it is critical that retailers, nutrient providers, like the Andersons Inc., and growers continue to adopt practices that conserve Indiana’s vital natural resources. For more information about the Andersons Inc. or the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program, please visit www.4rcertified.org. The 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Program is in its third year and administered by the Nutrient Stewardship Council.
Agriculture is part of Indiana's rich history and impacts nearly every facet of Hoosier life, from the food we eat to the clothing we wear, and we are fortunate to have so many tremendous individuals who have dedicated their lives to this vital industry. While agriculture can be seen and is prevalent in all 92 counties, one of the best ways to experience it firsthand and better understand our rural heritage is by attending our largest celebration of agriculture: the Indiana State Fair.
This year, the Indiana State Fair runs from Aug. 5–21 and has a fitting theme, Celebrating Indiana’s Bicentennial. Like many agricultural organizations, ISDA will once again have a strong presence at the fair this year, and below are some of the highlights:
Lt. Governor’s Celebration of Agriculture: ISDA, along with Lt. Governor Eric Holcomb, will host the 2016 Lt. Governor’s Celebration of Agriculture. This event will take place on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Normandy Barn. During the celebration, the 2016 AgriVision Award will be presented by the Lt. Governor, the Purdue Women in Agriculture award winners will be honored, and the ISDA Photo Contest winners will be announced and have their photos featured.
ISDA exhibits:
ISDA will have a strong presence in the Normandy Barn and will continue to educate the public about new aspects of
agriculture, engage families
with interactive exhibits and highlight Indiana agriculture as part of everyday
life. In addition to bringing back several past exhibits, ISDA has several new additions this year, such as Hands of our farmers, the Queen Bee and a Plant Dissection model.
Indiana Grown
events: Similar to last year, Indiana Grown will have the trade show
exhibit in the Bicentennial Pavilion, which allows visitors to sample great Indiana Grown products. New to this year, the initiative will be rolling out the Indiana Grown Marketplace, presented by Marsh in the Agriculture Horticulture
building. At the marketplace, fair-goers will be able to purchase Indiana Grown
products to enjoy either at home or the fair. Indiana Grown will also be hosting a
culinary competition in the Indiana Arts building, highlighting Hoosiers who
create new recipes using Indiana Grown products.
Featured farmers: Presented by Dow AgroSciences, Featured Farmers highlights a different farm family each day and is a great way to celebrate the contributions they have made to Indiana and to our legacy. This year, each Featured Farmer is also a Hoosier Homestead award recipient, which celebrates farms that have remained in one family for 100, 150, or 200 years. You can visit with the Featured Farmers every day at 2:30 p.m. at the Glass Barn where they will also be interviewed.
2016 Certified Livestock Producer Awards Luncheon:
The Certified Livestock Program is voluntary and recognizes farmers who publicly demonstrate their commitment to the environment, animal well-being, food safety, emergency planning, biosecurity and being a good neighbor in their community. At this luncheon, ISDA will honor producers who have completed their certification within the last year.
Hoosier Homestead Awards Ceremony: In honor of Indiana's rich agricultural heritage, the Hoosier Homestead Award program recognizes families with farms that have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more. Indiana family farms may qualify for the Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, the Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership and the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership. The program was instituted in 1976 and recognizes the contributions these family farms have made to the economic, cultural and social advancements of Indiana. In the past 40 years, more than 5,000 farms have received the honor. ISDA conducts two ceremonies every year; one of which will be taking place at the state fair.
For the most up-to-date information on the different events, as well as FAQs and parking instructions, please visit www.indianastatefair.com. The gates open every morning at 8 a.m., and parking is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Indiana Grown celebrated its one-year anniversary in style by participating in a local cook-off event with Market District – the initiative’s newest retail partner. Two teams (Indiana Grown vs. Market District) went head-to-head in a friendly competition to come up with the best 3-course meal using at least three Indiana Grown products.
The Indiana Grown team was led by Ted McKinney and Suzi Spahr, and the Market District team made up of executive sous chefs Jennifer Bargisen and Edward Yows from the Carmel branch. To make it official, there was a panel of local judges, consisting of Ivy Tech’s Jeff Bricker, Indiana food writer Heather Tallman and Indiana Grown commission member Margaret Davidson, who scored each dish based on the following categories: creativity, use of Indiana Grown products and overall taste.
Much like Master Chef, the contestants only had one hour to prepare their dishes and minutes to find the right ingredients. After the dishes were complete, they were meticulous analyzed by the judges, who later announced Market District as the winner (by .25 points).
As the winning team, their main dish, which was the Indiana Grown Burger, was available for sampling and featured July 7-9.
Continuing the celebration, two additional Indiana Grown events took place that weekend to further usher in the new partnership:
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Indiana Grown Exhibition: Multiple members had booths set up at Carmel Market District for sampling and sales.
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Menu takeover at table by Market District: Table by Market District served various dishes made with Indiana
Grown products during their lunch and dinner.
Overall, the weekend-long celebration was a huge success and a great way to announce Indiana Grown’s latest partnership, which will bring added
visibility to the more than 35 Indiana Grown members carried in-store.
The Indiana Grain Buyers Warehouse Licensing Agency (IGBWLA) is currently in the process of updating its administrative code, as well as the administrative code of the Indiana Grain Indemnity Board. The rulemaking changes, which are largely technical corrections and required statutory updates, began last fall after approval was granted by the Office of Management Budget (OMB). Once ISDA drafted the proposed rules, they were submitted to OMB, approved by the office and then published on the Indiana Register website.
Moving forward, the next step in the process is to schedule a public hearing to request input on the rules, and after considering all/any comments, ISDA must submit the final rules to the Attorney General’s office, followed by the Governor’s office, for final approval. Ultimately, this process, which began last fall, ensures that every rule has been properly vetted, reviewed by the public and best serves the needs of Hoosiers.
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