Indiana Agriculture Insider

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Indiana celebrates National FFA Week

Each year, FFA chapters around the U.S. celebrate National FFA Week – a tradition dating back to 1948. It's a time to share with local and state audiences what FFA is and the impact it has on its members every day. It’s also a great opportunity to educate the public about the importance and diversity of the agriculture industry. 

To kick off National FFA Week in Indiana, more than 70 enthusiastic Indiana FFA members filled the historic Statehouse for their annual FFA Page Day. Along with experiencing a full day of legislative activity, the students were able to interact with their elected leaders while getting a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of state government.
 

Lt. Governor

 
The day began with Indiana’s FFA state officers meeting with Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. The group discussed the impact Indiana FFA has on communities across the state, as well as the important work it’s doing to shape the next generation of agricultural leaders. The Lt. Governor praised the officers for their commitment to Indiana and even encouraged them to consider public service after their time in FFA.
 

Indiana FFA

 
Afterwards, FFA members were given a tour of the Statehouse, which included the Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction’s office and the Indiana Supreme Court, to list a few. After the tour, Director of Public Affairs for the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and the Indiana Corn Growers Association, Steve Howell, addressed the pages and spoke about the importance of civic engagement over lunch, provided by ISA. 
 

Indiana FFA

 
The pages were then able to assist lawmakers and Statehouse staff members with a wide range of activities and learn about the legislative process by experiencing it firsthand.

One of the highlights of the day was a joint resolution ceremony honoring Indiana FFA, championed by State Senator Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) in the Senate and State Representative Don Lehe (R-Brookston) in the House. Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director, Ted McKinney, addressed members of the Indiana House of Representatives and discussed the tremendous impact FFA has in the state and to the future of agriculture.
 

Indiana FFA

 
In addition to Page Day, for the entirety of the week, Indiana’s 11,856 FFA members were raising awareness about agriculture, recruiting students to join the organization and giving back to their communities through service projects.

To learn more about Indiana FFA or National FFA Week, visit www.inffa.org.

 

Indiana Grown Day at the Statehouse

Here in Indiana, we have a great desire to support local farmers and Hoosier businesses, and Indiana Grown has created the avenue to make that happen. Now in its second year, the initiative has seen tremendous success, reaching close to 700 members from all sectors of the agriculture industry. One of the main reasons for this surge is that we continue to host events to raise awareness about the initiative – creating growth opportunities for our members. While most of these events tend to be consumer facing, others include a much broader audience, like Indiana’s elected leaders. 

Recently, more than 35 Indiana Grown members filled our state’s Capitol Building to meet and mingle with their state representatives. This was a great opportunity for them to discuss important issues impacting the industry while being able to share some of their local success stories. 

To make the event even sweeter, lawmakers and passersby were able to sample Indiana Grown products. From tasty gourmet marshmallows from 240 Sweet to delicious bottles of milk from Dean Foods, there was an amazing variety of unique flavors – a great representation of the diversity that can be found in Indiana.
 

Ted


The event also attracted several notable guests, including Miss Indiana Brianna DeCamp and Lt. Governor Crouch, who is a strong supporter of the Indiana Grown initiative. They were able to speak one-on-one with many of the members, like Kelly Maucere, of My Sugar Pie and representatives from Bloomington based UGO bars. It was a great way to meet so many members and hear the real-world impact of Indiana Grown.
 

Indiana Grown

 
Moving forward, we will continue to host high-value events, like Indiana Grown Day at the Statehouse, to create growth opportunities for our members.

We truly believe everyone in Indiana has a chance to share in the success of Indiana Grown, whether it’s a large or small operation, high-tech, low-tech, traditional or non-traditional, and we are always looking for new, innovative ways to grow the initiative.

Visit www.indianagrown.org for more information. 


KEY DATES:

March 2-3
Indiana Economic Development Association: Annual Spring Conference - Indianapolis

March 16
Indiana Grain Indemnity Corporation Board meeting - Indiana Farm Bureau

March 16
State Fair Commission meeting - Indiana State Fairgrounds

March 21
National Ag Day Celebration - Indiana Statehouse

March 21
Indiana State Soil Conservation Board Meeting - NRCS state office


IN THE NEWS:

Ports of Indiana sets quarterly tonnage record


"Blue Jackets" Back In Indianapolis For FFA Page Day


Indiana Grown Hires Manager


Cost-share program helps combat invasive plants in Knox County


Prairie Farms to expand Fort Wayne facility


ISDA awards livestock grants


ISDA awards six specialty crop grants


Videos sought for contest


Indiana farmer shares why he believes in conservation, cover crops


Indiana Dairy Strategy Continues to Bring Results


Gov. Holcomb Calls for More Ethanol Plants


Indiana popcorn harvest sets record 500M pounds in 2016


AGRITOURISM DESTINATION:

Conner Prairie

Connor Prairie

 

Conner Prairie is one of the largest attractions in their region and one of the most visited outdoor museums in the country. They have a long history of innovation that spans the fields of science, history, art, and nature. On their grounds, every guest has the opportunity to pursue fun and knowledge in a way that is tailored to them.

You can also enjoy a real working farm at Conner Prairie. There you will learn from the specialists who feed and care for these animals every day. Along the way, you'll encounter big life lessons about animal husbandry and life cycles.


INDIANA GROWN RECIPE:

Hot Bacon and Cheese Dip, as seen on Basilmomma.com

Bacon and cheese

 

Ingredients:
1/2 C plain Greek yogurt
8 oz cream cheese, soft
1 C sharp cheddar, shredded
1/2 C monterrey jack, shredded
1 4 oz can of chopped green chilies, drained
2 TB of good quality hot sauce such as Best Boy & Co Redhead Hot Sauce
6-8 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 C of panko bread crumbs or crushed Ritz crackers

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl combine all ingredients except bread crumbs.

Add contents of bowl to a pie dish or small baking dish.

Top with bread/cracker crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with veggies or other crunchy dipables.


CONTACT ISDA:

Indiana State Department of Agriculture 
One North Capitol Avenue, Suite 600 
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.232.8770
317.232.1362 FAX
Communications@isda.in.gov